Fruits like the ones pictured below are abundant to the point they can be found or harvested for free. One day while bicycling I picked up a beautiful ripe papaya and put it in my backpack. I also went on an avocado foraging trip and helped collect about 40 softball size avocados. We picked up some off the ground and plucked more using an avocado picker. The picture below includes a lilikoi top left, noni fruit bottom left, strawberry papaya, and a large avocado. They're all delicious except the noni fruit which smells like blue cheese gone bad.
I've started a sprout growing program for our community. I will grow some sprouts in jars and others in trays. Hopefully this will be something occupants of the house will continue once I return to the mainland. Here's a new tray of sunflower sprouts I recently started.
The highlight since the last blog entry was a daytrip I took with my friend, Kevin. We drove about an hour and 45 minutes, mostly along the Hamakua Coast to reach Waipio Valley. Kevin went to meet one of the locals he had met previously to disucss the possibility of a work/trade arrangement. I ventured to the ocean front to eat a picnic lunch on the beach, hike, and swim in the ocean.
Waipio Valley is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. The valley itself is lush and green with several farms scattered about. Add the 1,000 ft. valley walls with waterfalls and a beautiful beach and I was in awe. I also surprised to see a group of wild horses. After lunch, I hiked through a waist high stream and then along the beach to reach the hiking trail on the other side of the valley. I then headed up for a couple of miles stopping several times to enjoy the scenery. A return trip to Waipio Valley for a 3-day weekend of camping and backpacking to Waimanu Valley with people from the house is in the works.
