and pineapple—and a new age of
industrial agriculture began.
As we pass through a region of rolling
farm fields, we learn about land owner-
ship—and how it was a foreign concept
to island residents in the 1800s, who
lived by a system of communal subsis-
tence. To secure the resources neces-
sary for their survival, the Kuleana Act
was introduced in 1850. Under the act,
if you cultivated a parcel of land, you
could petition for the title to that land.
That’s kuleana. “Likewise, if you have
the privilege of living here—whether
you enjoy the water or reap the fruits of
the land—you have a responsibility to
that privilege,” Moose explains.
We drive by some of the 14,500 hect-
ares of sugarcane fields—historically,
Maui’s biggest export. But in December
2016, the Hawaiian Commercial &
Sugar Company announced it would be
shutting down after 145 years of oper-
ation—an indication that sugarcane
production is no longer sustainable.
“We’re not sure what they’re going
to do with the land next,” Moose
says, adding there are a lot of differ-
ing opinions. “But they grew all this
sugarcane, so they could surely grow
other things, too.”
We begin to climb a winding road
and before long, we’re nearly 600
metres above sea level at MauiWine.
Established in 1974 and self-promoted
as the island’s only winery, MauiWine
got its start producing pineapple wine,
but has since expanded into grapes
with 10-plus vintages on offer.
While I sip and swirl everything
from rosé to Malbec, our host Ken
Goring describes the signature pine-
apple wine, Maui Blanc. It’s made
from Maui Gold pineapples that aren’t
“pretty enough for the store.” Once
they’ve been crushed and pressed, the
juice is fermented for 14 days, then fil-
tered, aged and finished over 12 to 16
weeks. In keeping with craft culture,
any leftover pineapple rinds are taken
to local cattle ranches. “We call it
‘cattle candy,’” Goring grins.
Lunch follows with burgers made
from locally raised, grass-fed beef.
After sugar and pineapples, Maui’s
largest agricultural exports were
»
island
hopping
A cheat sheet of
Hawaii’s main islands
The Big Island
hawaii’s largest island
boasts an active, magma-
flowing volcano, black-
sand beaches and several
top-notch golf courses.
Maui
known as the “valley isle,”
you’ll find quaint towns,
farm-to-table cuisine and
migrating humpback whales.
Oahu
the majority of hawaii’s
residents live here. bustling
honolulu buzzes with trop-
ical glamour. Pearl harbor
is also located here.
Kauai
the island features lush
terrain, jagged cliffs and
cascading waterfalls,
making it an adventurer’s
paradise.
Molokai
much of the island’s residents
are native hawaiians seeking
to preserve their rural way of
life. For adventurous types,
it’s also home to the world’s
highest sea cliffs.
Lanai
hawaii’s smallest island
is also its most laid-back.
relax in a lounger at a world-
class resort or bounce along
rugged terrain in a 4x4.
CAA saskatchewan
sPring 2018
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