Business Monday: North Kohala ranch offers farm-to-table special with educational tour

Visitors to Starseed Ranch can take a tour of the 26-acre regenerative organic permaculture farm in Kapaʻau before enjoying a meal made with the fruits, vegetables and herbs that are grown there.

Chef Erika and Dash Kuhr co-own Starseed Ranch, which is filled with fruit trees, gardens, bamboo, timbers, medicinal plants, and animals.

The tour guides people through a plethora of bright-colored plants that showcase the beauty of the farm and its diverse agricultural landscapes in North Kohala on the Big Island.

“The land holds a special place in our hearts since we were married here in 2011, and spent a lot of time with previous owners Andre and Jyoti whenever we returned,” Erika Kuhr said. “We always dreamed of living here, and in the spring of 2020, we were blessed with the opportunity to purchase the land with a partner.”

Starseed Ranch operates as a sanctuary offering transformational experiences by connecting people with the land and food. The ranch cultivates a wide variety of tropical fruits and medicinal plants alongside Hawaiian canoe crops, which were brought to Hawaiʻi by Polynesian voyagers, like kalo (taro), ʻulu (breadfruit) and ʻuala (sweet potato).

The farm provides a supply of fresh produce to the Hāwī Farmers Market, Kohala Farm to School program, and residential programs.

The Kuhrs also run the farm-based nonprofit Hawai’i Institute of Pacific Agriculture and are committed to educating and empowering the next generation of young farmers and eco-conscious consumers. At the ranch, students can participate in educational programs and retreats to learn about land stewardship and healthy lifestyles.

“Education has always been extremely important to us as we developed Starseed Ranch into what it is today,” Kuhr said. “Since we have been blessed with this land, it only makes sense we utilize it to educate and inspire visitors, residents, and people of all ages to grow their own food or support local farms.”

The Kuhrs are dedicated to sharing sustainable farming knowledge while providing visitors with transformative experiences that connect them to the land and Hawaiian agricultural traditions and teach them about local food sustainability.

To make these experiences more accessible, the Kuhrs started a fall kamaʻāina (local) promotion for Big Island residents and neighbor island visitors, offering exclusive access to their acclaimed Farm to Table Dinner Series at special pricing through Dec. 12.

The immersive experience begins with an educational one-hour interpretive farm tour where visitors learn from the Kuhrs and employees while exploring the lush, diverse grounds at Starseed Ranch.

Visitors are often educated on sustainable land management practices, plants that offer health benefits, and the importance of canoe crops to the islands’ food source. Guides also answer questions.

“We’re thrilled to offer this special opportunity to our Big Island ʻohana and welcome visitors from across the Hawaiian islands to experience what we’ve been cultivating here in North Kohala,” Erika Kuhr said. “This is our way of sharing the abundance of our land with the community that has supported us for almost two decades.”

Following the educational farm tour, guests settle into the ranch’s open-air kitchen and dining area, surrounded by lush vegetation and landscaped grounds, for a multi-course meal featuring ingredients sourced directly from the land and other local North Kohala farms. Erika Kuhr prepares the meals in front of the guests.

“Preparing food in front of others creates an intimate connection between land, food and community,” Erika Kuhr said. “Food is medicine to me; it is healing and that’s what we want our guests to experience.”

Erika Kuhr is known for her Hawaiian fusion cuisine, utilizing traditional canoe crops and coconut grown on the property.

Normally $175, the Kamaʻāina Farm to Table special offers the tour and dinner for $125. The special is available on select Thursdays and Fridays through Dec. 12. The next open dates include:

• Thursday, Sept. 25
• Friday, Oct. 24
• Thursday, Oct. 30
• Friday, Nov. 7
• Friday, Nov. 21
• Friday, Dec. 12

For Big Island and neighbor island residents, the farm-to-table dinner experience can include overnight accommodation in one of Starseed’s authentic Balinese-style hale (houses) for 25% off.

For more information about the fall kamaʻāina promotion and to book experiences, visit the Starseed Ranch website.