KULA FARMER'S MARKET

I have been making a concerted effort to eat healthier and eat organic, when possible, so I decided to get up early Saturday morning and head to the Farmer's Market in Kula. My daughter-in-law, Una loaded up my grandson, Kainalu, in her Ergo baby carrier and with a recyclable grocery bag in hand, she led me into the vegetable heaven. When we arrived at the outdoor market, behind Kula Malu Shopping Center, a flock of birds flew overhead and the sun burst through the morning clouds. The air was crisp as I took a deep breath of the sweet essence of upcountry. We took a visual stroll down the lane of multiple booths before we started the actual shopping. Brightly colored vegetables and fruit, gorgeous flowers, luscious plants and home-baked goodies filled my senses! Kainalu, who is 14 months old, selected a few organic tomatoes (his favorite) as Una filled her bag with carefully chosen greens. Smiling farmers greeted us warmly as they explained some vegetables to me that I had never seen before. I was tempted to get a curry dish that stewed in a crockpot and smelled divine, but decided to spend my money on tomatoes, chard, mint, parsley, eggplant, zucchini and avocados instead. Such good prices! These freshly grown veggies cost much less than in the stores. Not all the veggies are organic, so make sure you ask if that is what you are looking for. There were truckloads of coconuts and pineapples and lots of apparently veteran market shoppers who quickly stuffed their bags with their favorite selections. I ran into a friend, Debbie, and her dog and ran into another friend, Leah, who was dropped off by a friend and stoked when I offered her a ride home. A local man was singing beautiful songs that wafted down the farmer's lane, creating an atmosphere that was uniquely Hawaii. There are plenty of Farmer's Markets on Maui. I have visited the one in Makawao, Kahului Shopping Center on Fridays and the one next to Dairy Queen on Lono Road in Kahului. Please share with me other Farmer's Markets you know about on the island. It feels good to support the local farmers and gardeners and definitely tastes good as well!