Leilani Farm Sanctuary is an island paradise for rescued animals where compassion for all living beings reigns. Located on eight lush acres of pure love, this non-profit sanctuary on Maui saves animals destined for slaughter or orphaned after hunters took their mothers. Volunteers are welcome. (Photo of Charlotte courtesy of Leilani Farm Sanctuary.)
Read MoreCommon Ground Collective (CGC) promotes food security and economic opportunity through assistance with education and capacity-building. Since 2017, CGC has worked with residents, businesses, and community organizations to build the infrastructure to create a new backyard-to-market supply chain for the regional food system. (Photo from Common Ground Collective.)
Read MoreThe Maui chapter of Chilis on Wheels regularly provides vegan meals or snack packs in Kihei, Lahaina, and Kahului to the unsheltered and delivers donated produce boxes to anyone in dire need. More information may be found at www.instagram.com/chilisonwheelsmaui.
Read More3 Easy Plant-Based Recipes Your Family Will Love is a free, online class presented by Blue Zones Project Hawai’i on Friday, March 25, 12 noon – 1 pm. Free. Registration required. The Vegan Climate Summit 2022, an online event, will be held Friday, April 22, 2 -5 pm HST. More information here.
Read MoreSmall initiatives can produce big results. A case in point: in 2021 the Common Ground Collective harvested 42,000 pounds of produce that would otherwise go to waste and donated 28,000 pounds to feed residents in need. … Save the date: Second Annual Vegan Climate Change Summit, Friday April 22, 2022. More information here.
Read MoreHAWAII SCORES FIRST VEGAN HOTEL, Volcano Eco Retreat, on the Big Island. It is part of the Heart Core chain, which describes itself as “a collection of carefully selected planet and vegan-friendly boutique hotels and retreats that strive to set an example in an industry ripe for disruption.” More info here. … CLIMATE IS THE FOCUS OF VEGANUARY 2022: Veganuary’s Head of Communications, Toni Vernelli, says: “Although changing our diets is crucial to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, it can seem daunting. Signing up to Veganuary makes it much easier as our free pledge is full of helpful tips and advice, including a seven-day low carbon meal plan highlighting simple swaps that slash the carbon footprint of classic British dishes.” More information here. Watch the campaign video.
Read MoreSurprisingly, there are no upscale 100% vegan restaurants on Maui. Vegan diners choose from vegan cafes, vegan food trucks and restaurants with vegan options that vary widely in quality.
Read MoreCommon Ground Collective has harvested more than 35,000 pounds of food for the year 2021 to date through its foster farming program. More than 10,000 pounds have been given to unsheltered people.
Read MoreGround broken for new community garden: The Common Ground Collective has partnered with Haiku House to establish a new community garden. The Haiku House Common Ground Garden will showcase a new way for commercial landowners to support Maui's food insecure by increasing the supply of locally grown food for homeless people, struggling families, at-risk youth and seniors. Donations of garden tools and cash are welcome, as are volunteers. To make a financial contribution, visit https://www.commongroundcollective.com/donate. For more information, concerns or questions, please call (808) 856-0906 or email is cgcmaui@gmail.com.
Read MoreRainbow Kitchen is Maui’s newest all-vegan food truck. We ordered the burrito bowl, and it’s wonderful. We look forward to trying other items and beverages, such as the bruschetta toast, mochi waffles and fries, mini macro bowl, intriguing teas and more. Rainbow Kitchen is at 2250 Hana Highway in Haiku, the yellow food truck at Maliko Country Farms. If you are driving east on Hana Highway, it’s on the right just before Maliko Gulch. Hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 7 am – 2 pm. If you are planning a stop, it can’t hurt to call 808-500-2885 to confirm it’s open.
Read MoreShaping our future: Maui County government could do the right thing by increasing support to independent, plant-based farmers and reducing or eliminating funding for initiatives that promote animal agriculture. One of the most important decision-makers in local government is Councilmember Shane Sinenci. He proposed the new Maui County Department of Agriculture that will begin operations on July 1, 2022.
Read MoreBuilding food security: Hawaii has the capacity to grow about 85% of our food, yet astoundingly, we actually import about 90%. Can ‘ulu – breadfruit – help turn this around? Dr. Diane Ragone, Director of the Breadfruit Institute, and Birgit Cameron, co-founder and head of Patagonia Provisions, think so. They share their insights in a May 26 webinar here.
Read MoreThe Common Ground Collective received a grant from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation to increase staffing, secure a vehicle for harvests and distributions, purchase some much needed supplies and provide more locally grown produce to food insecure individuals in Maui County.
Read MoreAnother new vegan dining option: Last month we noted that the Sprout Vegan Café transitioned from food truck to brick-and-mortar restaurant and that a new vegan food cart, Maui Garden Grove Café, opened at the Garden of Eden (mile marker 10.5 Road to Hana). We are pleased to report another new vegan option: Earth Aloha Eats has opened a second food truck in Kahului directly across from Costco at 520 Keolani Place.
Read MoreNew vegan dining options: A new vegan food cart has opened at the Garden of Eden (mile marker 10.5 Road to Hana), the Maui Garden Grove Café. Among its offerings are Hawaiian Curry and Hawaiian Chili over rice, Coconut Glen's ice cream, pineapple upside down cake with a scoop of pineapple banana ice cream. … Sprout Vegan Café, formerly a food truck, is now a restaurant at 10 Wailea Gateway Place, B102, Kihei, having officially reopened its doors as a brick-and-mortar location. “Serving the same delicious menu as before but with a few great additions! Now offering dine-in, takeout, or order delivery. Indoor and outdoor seating available.” Hours are 9 am to 9 pm, except for Monday, when it closes at 5 pm.
Read MoreNew Farmers Market: Starting this Tuesday January 26, 2021 Oko’a Farms has established a new Wailea Village Farmers Market at 100 Wailea Ike Drive every Tuesday from 8 am - 12 noon. It features more than 80 organically grown vegetables, herbs, greens, and local fruits. … Congratulations to the mostly vegan Choice Health Bar, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary at its Lahaina location in April … Kudos to the Common Ground Collective which, in 2020, harvested 18,500 lbs of backyard produce and donated over 10,000 pounds to community partners to distribute to those most in need. You can support the Common Ground Collective here.
Read MoreGood works: Grow Some Good distributed 620 plant kits to all K-5 students at Wailuku Elementary. Each kit included a journal, colored pencils and sharpener, magnifying glass, 20 4” pots, soil, chard and pea seeds, plus instructions. … In 2020 the Common Ground Collective collaborated on seven food bag giveaways and helped provide over 1,300 bags of groceries to local residents in need.
Read MoreAn indefensible proposal sponsored by Maui Council Member Tasha Kama to criminalize providing food to hungry people has been rebuffed. This means that groups like Chilis on Wheels and Maui Food not Bombs may continue to provide wholesome vegan meals for people in need without fear of government intervention, at least for now … Closed for almost a year, the Lipoa Farmers Market in Kihei will open in a new location: South Kihei Road in front of the Kukui Mall. A “soft opening” is planned for Tuesday, December 1 at 4 pm. The plan is to also be open on Thursdays from 4 - 8 pm. … Vegan food truck Earth Aloha Eats has moved to the Lahaina Cannery Mall Parking Lot at 1221 Honoapi'ilani Highway.
Read MoreElections Matter: For veganism on Maui to thrive, local, independent farmers must be empowered to consistently produce and distribute a wide variety of sustainable and affordable whole plant foods. It’s election time, which means that big outside corporations are using dark money – funds provided by secret donors – to bend Maui’s politics and commerce to their advantage.
Read MoreThe Common Ground Collective Foster Farming project is now offering weekly harvesting services to Upcountry and North Shore areas of Maui County. Landowners get to decide if they would like to donate their produce or sell their produce. This is a great way to help people without enough food – consider donating produce to organizations like the Maui Food Bank and Chilis on Wheels. Details are here. In case you like to sleep in on Saturdays, the Upcountry Saturday Farmers Market in Olinda – not to be confused with the larger Saturday morning Upcountry Farmers Market in Pukalani – is open noon to 4 pm.
Read More
