Hawai'i Agriculture Research
CTAHR's Mealani Research Station
Open since the 1960's, the Mealani Research Station is part of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR). It's located on the east side of Waimea on Hwy. 19 and investigates and demonstrates products for Hawai'i County farmers and ranchers to use.
It's where Mealani's Taste of the Hawaiian Range began!
Today's
ag showcase started in 1996 as the Mealani Forage Field Day and A Taste of
the Hawaiian Range. During the day, Mealani hosted an on-site Forage Field
Day with tours of the forage gardens, educational seminars for ranchers and
food producers, plus presentations by top, ag-related speakers, such as Jo
Robinson, best-selling author of "Pasture Perfect" and eatwild.com.
In the evening, Taste sampling was enjoyed by the public in the Kahilu Town
Hall.
Current Research Projects:
- Healthy food system products: tea, blueberries, grass-finished beef
- Forage and pasture grasses for grass-finished livestock
- Disease tolerance and resistance evaluation of protea, sweet and grain corn
- Alternative Crops: Peaches, Persimmon, Surinam and bing-type Cherries
- Field Education of Culinary Students
Hawai‘i Agriculture Development
Tea: Started 1999. Evaluation trials of one acre of tea containing 10 cultivars, plus 320 different seedlings for possible cultivar development. Research includes ag production techniques, yield studies, quality control and product processing to remove plant bitterness and astringencies. Mealani provides local tea society growers with cuttings, educational workshops, tours of station planting. Goal: to develop unique Hawai'i-grown teas.
Blueberries: Started 2005. Evaluation trials inand out of hot house of 34 warm-clime varieties that don't require a high chill. Research includes ag production, acclimatization to environment, resistances to disease (rust), pruning methods and timing for production in high-value market windows. Goal: to develop blueberries as an alternative crop for farmers.
Grass-fed beef: Started 1995. Evaluate on-site herd to analyze genetics of
various breeds of cattle for selective breeding through artificial 
insemination,
utilize utlrasound to examine animals for desired meat cut characteristics
(rib-eye), utilize low-stress animal handling techniques, work with meat processors
to refine processing and tenderizing techniques. Goal: to produce quality grade,
forage-finished beef to market within 18 to 24 months that is raised entirely
on grass. Develop grass-fed beef as a niche, high-value product that's free
from hormones and antibiotics for the discriminating consumer.
Pasture Rotation: Started 2005. Evaluation trials of intensive grazing techniques using approximately 250 head of cattle to best utilize nutritive values of forage while sustaining paddocks. Research involves daily rotation of separate groups of steers (market animals), heifers (young females) and cow/calves among paddocks so each group of animal is always digesting the same part of the grass stalk. Steers consume the top of the grass, which has the highest protein content, followed by heifers who eat the middle of the stalk and cow/calves, which eat the bottom and get the most fiber. Goal: To utilize forage effectively and to demonstrate the production of healthy, vigorous grass-finished beef on less acreage for efficient land utilization.
Forage systems: Started 1987. Mealani has one of the Pacific basin's largest collections of tropical forage grasses in investigation and demonstration gardens. They include pangola and kikuyu grasses and legume covers. Legumes, such as the perennial peanut and leucaena, fix nitrogen in the soil and help other forages grow. Goal: To make different efficient tropical forages available for ranchers to plant in their pastures.
Other stations: Mealani is one of CTAHR's five Big Isle research stations managed by Marla Fergerstrom, ag research technician. The others are in Hamakua, the Lalamilo section of Waimea, Kainaliu and Capt. Cook. Each location has its own micro-climate and projects, such as evaluation of tropical orchard crops in Kona and koa forestry trials on the Hamakua Coast. Located on the dry side of Waimea, the 17-acre Lalamilo Station works closely with area farmers to address pest and disease problems and help with varietal development. The Big Island also has CTAHR research stations in Waiakea, Volcano and Malama-Ki.
CTAHR: Established in 1907 as the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources is the founding college of the University of Hawai'i. CTAHR is an intergral part of UH's Carnegie I Research Institution designation and is federally mandated to fulfill UH's threefold land grant mission of instruction, scientific research and outreach. CTHAR'S many programs cover a wide range of services and offerings: 4-H Youth; ag diagnostic service; aquaculture; alternative crops; disease management; floriculture; forestry; Hawaiian Homelands; insect pests and invasive species management; healthy families; livestock; pasture and animal waste management; ornamentals and urban horticulture; tropical fruits, nuts and coffee; vegetables and water quality. For more info, visit www.ctahr.hawaii.edu.