Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 29, Number 4, 1 ʻApelila 2012 — On the slopes of Kula, everything's coming up lavender [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

On the slopes of Kula, everything's coming up lavender

From a school ag program to partnerships with loeal businesses, Ali'i Kula Lavender furthers the vision of its late founder

By Kekoa Enomoto An Office of Hawaiian Affairs Mālama Loan has helped Ali'i Kula Lavender realize the sweet fragrance of success. Located in Upcountry Maui, Ali'i Kula Lavender grows 55,000 lavender plants representing 45 varieties neatly landscaped on 13 1/2 acres with a bicoastal view. A prime example of agritourism, the company offers farmtours; plant-related classes; a dining area; picturesque venues for weddings and other functions; and a shop offering a spectrum of handsomely packaged, lavender-laced products. OHA officials indicated the farm is a stellar Mālama Loan recipient. Lani Medina Weigert, eofounding president of Ali'i Kula Lavender, said OHA's loan helped them increase inventory before the holiday rush. "Generating more cash during a very small window is difficult for most businesses," she said. "OHA helped us financially to produce more of our merchandise within a six-week time period, so we could be prepared to fully stock our shelves for the holidays. Without OHA, we would have missed this once-a-year opportunity ... whieh increased our overall revenues and helped us pay off debt and strengthen our profits," she said. Company principals Weigert and the late Ali'i Chang received from OHA not only loan funds, but also

business advice. "Through OHA's guidance, we adopted a practice of disciplined spending and focused revenue generation," Weigert said. "OHA helped us build a solid foundation that allowed us to pull through tough Ananeial times and heeome more sustainable as a business." Most businesses that receive Ananeial help also need further Ananeial guidance, so they ean sustain the progress the iniīial infusion of monies makes, she said. "OHA didn't just give us money, they checked in with us and offered more assistance to ensure the help we received made a lasting differenee. And it did!" she enthused. "We are on our way to becoming debt-free in the near future." Business partner Ali'i Chang, a veteran tropical flower grower, died April 13, 2011, leaving a legacy of community engagement as well as beauty. He "continues to be remembered for his jovial and welcoming personality to whoever met him," Weigert said. "I ean still see him riding on his (golf) cart through the farm picking up guests along the way and sharing his perspective of life on this farm he loved so mueh." Part of Chang's legacy was to introduce business aspects of farming to Maui High School agriculture students. A year ago, he, Weigert and her daughter, Pomai Weigert, had invited "105 students (to) visit our farm with hopes to inspire them to set a career in agriculture," Lani

Weigert recounted. "Ali'i knew that to sustain our food security in the future, we'd need a lot more farmers. He wanted to give back to the community by sharing his knowledge and passion for agriculture with the next generation." She said the iniīial school group included more than 70 percent part-Hawaiian youths, many atrisk students, a few females - and many with 2.0 grade-point averages or lower. The students took field trips arranged in collaboration with Hāli'imaile Pineapple Co., Maui County Farm Bureau, Maui Eeonomie Development Board, and the Culinary Academy and Agriculture Department at the University of Hawai'i Maui College, Weigert said. Likely motivated by the range of agriculture-related opportunities, a group of 75 Maui High agriculture students participated this year "holding an average grade-point average of 2.9, with 20 percent more females enrolling into the program and over 20 percent going on to college," Weigert said. Meanwhile, Chang's son, Forrest Kekoa "Koa" Chang, 29, has stepped in, assuming the role of general manager at Ali'i Kula Lavender and continuing the farm's emphasis on community engagement. "Partnership is a key eomponent," he noted. "My dad and Lani's philosphy is to use other people's expertise, particularly when they are good at making an item, to use

their skill and incorporate lavender to create a product that is exclusively ours. Basically a relationship is formed." Thus, the farm involves loeal firms to manufacture lavenderinfused items under the Ali'i Kula

Lavender brand. Products include Lavender Chocolate Gelato by 'Ono Gelato Co. in Pā'ia - "very rich, creamy, smooth and 'onolicious,"Weigertdescribed; Lavender SEE KULA ON PAGE 10

j HO'OKAHUAWAIWAI ^ % EC0N0MIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY /

www.oha.org/kwo | kwo@OHA.org NATIVE HAWAIIAN » NEWS | FEATURES | EVENTS

ALI'I KULA LAVENDER FARM Address: 1100 Waipoli Road, Kula, Hl 96790 Phone: (808) 878-3004 Website: aklmaui.com MĀLAMA LOAN To learn more about 0HA's Mālama Loan, whieh offers business, education, home-improvement and debt-consolidation loans, contact Robert Crowell at (808) 594-1924 orrobertc@oha.org. Website: oha.org/malamaloan

Ali'i Kula Lavender, whieh spans 13-plus acres, in Upcountry Maui partners with loeal businesses to create lavender-infused foods and products, whieh are sold online and at its Kula store. - Courtesy: l Anthony Martinez

KULA Continued from page 4

Liliko 'i Jelly and Lavender Strawberry Pepper Jam by Jan Yokoyama of Maui Upcountry Jams & Jellies; lavender scones by Jeanne the Bread Lady; Lavender Brownies by Big Island Candies, and Lavender Shortbread Cookies by Kaua'i Kookie. A sociology graduate of Whitman College in Washington state, Koa Chang oversees an Ali'i Kula Lavender staff of 13. "It's a solid staff; everybody is very skilled," he said. Moreover, Koa Chang has enhanced both Ali'i Chang's legacy of community engagement and the sweet scent of success by establishing the Ali'i Chang Foundation to provide ag-related scholarships. And, he recently participated in a Maui County Farm Bureau "Ag in the Classroom" event, where 1,000 second-graders were able to pot their own lavender. "Sustainability and ag education is a big focus for Koa as he continues his father's legacy at Ali'i Kula Lavender," Weigert said. ■ Kekoa Enomolo is a retired copy editor and staffwriter with The Maui News andformer Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

j HO'OKAHUAWAIWAI ^ % EC0N0MIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY /

www.oha.org/kwo | kwo@OHA.org NATIVE HAWAIIAN » NEWS | FEATURES | EVENTS

Lani Medina Weigert, co-founding president of Ali'i Kula Lavender, and Forrest Kekoa "Koa" Chang, general manager and son of the late Ali'i Chang. - Courtesy: Ali'i Kuia Lavender