File photo
Cows, pigs, chickens and other livestock
are the stars of the farm fair.

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FAIR
DAYS

Annual event emphasizes
isles' agricultural products

By Cherie Chun
Star-Bulletin

Besides the smell of cow dung, the aroma of roasting coffee will also waft through the grounds as the annual Hawaii State Farm Fair takes over the Aloha Stadium tomorrow.

A roaster borrowed from the Big Island will be used to prepare coffee beans from Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Kauai and, of course, the Big Island. The demonstration will give fairgoers an idea of how the roasting process is done.

"I bought each island coffee -- the green beans -- and then we're going to roast it," said Dennis Suzuki, a volunteer who came up with the idea of using the machine.

Suzuki also will be working in a booth making slushes and soft-serve ice cream using locally grown products such as bananas, pineapples and papayas.

Both Suzuki's booth and the coffee roasting booth are part of the fair's effort to promote awareness of agriculture in the islands.

"It's always been a part of the fair," said Wendell Koga, executive director of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation. "The general purpose is to educate the people."

Ann Takiguchi of the state Department of Agricul-ture, said, "I think the message is we need people in Hawaii to support our agriculture."

The coffee exhibit is one example of how some of the fair's educational displays have become more interactive, she said. Folks can see what the beans look like before roasting, and they can watch the process.

The fair also serves as a reminder that agriculture still plays a role in Hawaii.

"People have a tendency to forget that agriculture exists," Koga said. "Out of sight, out of mind."

Michael Kliks, vice president of the state Beekeepers Association agrees. Adventures in Beekeeping, a display he's involved with, will show how beehives operate.

People think honey comes from bear-shaped jars, and they tend to forget about the production involved in obtaining honey, he said.

"I think it's because we're getting more and more separated from our rural and agricultural roots."

The exhibit will also highlight the role of honeybees in the production of many of the state's crops, he said. Perhaps most important overall, Koga emphasized, is the role of agriculture as a vital industry other than tourism for the state.

"What else is Hawaii good for?" he said. "We have a 12-month growing season here."

Farm Fair facts

What: Hawaii State Farm Fair
When: Tomorrow through Aug. 9, 6 p.m. to midnight on week nights and 11 a.m. to midnight on weekends
Where: Aloha Stadium
Admission: $2.50 for adults, $1.50 for children 5 to 12, free for children under 5
Parking: $3
Discount days:
Aug. 3, 6 p.m. to midnight -- Admission 50 cents with an empty Pepsi can; most rides two coupons each
Aug. 5, 6 p.m. to midnight -- Admission free for two with an empty Meadow Gold or Viva carton, admission free for a family of up to four with two empty Meadow Gold or Viva cartons; most rides two coupons each
Aug. 6 -- Admission free for a family up to four with an empty 20-pound bag of Diamond G Rice; most rides two coupons each
Aug. 9 -- Admission 50 cents with an empty Pepsi can; most rides three coupons each