Dragon Fruit.. The Pitaya

The Pitaya otherwise known as Dragonfruit is an exotic tropical fruit that grows on a cactus plant. It seemed surprising that a cactus would be growing and doing well in the rainforest, but I was assured by the nursury owner whom I bought the Dragonfruit from that it will do well out at Fieldhouse Farm. A beautiful spot was found for it in the rock garden that surrounds one of the farms many old Ohia trees.

The flowers of the dragon fruit plant only bloom at night and usually only live for one night. Pollination happens at this time to allow the fruit to emerge. The flowers of the dragon fruit give out a very beautiful scent, and the smell can fill the night air wherever the plant grows.

The fruit is eaten by scooping out the flesh. It is best served chilled.

Dragonfruit is very high in Vitamin C and therefore, an excellent immune booster. Dragonfruit is also noted for being able to lower blood glucose levels in Type 2 diabetes. The red fleshed varieties contain lycopene which is a natural antioxidant known to fight cancer, heart disease, and lower blood pressure.

ARBEQUINA - exotic Olive tree

Fieldhouse Farms welcomes new Arbequina exotic olive trees (Olea 'Arbequina'), a native of Catalonia, Spain. The arbequina olive is appreciated by connoisseurs for its nutty taste and ability to produce a high quality olive oil. We'll need some olive oil to sautee all the other wonderful veggies growing on the farm. The yield in oil is good (20 - 22%), of excellent quality with good organoletic characteristics We were particularly pleased to discover this type of olive tree grows in Hawaii since our goal is to be sustainable with what we can grow on the farm. And, personally, I can also picture nibbling on a few olives while sipping Jaboticaba wine.

We've been experiencing a bit of a storm here on the Big Island so I wasn't able to take a pictures of the arbequina trees in their new home. I am still deciding on where it will be best to plant them. They display beautiful and fragrant flowers in the Spring and so I am thinking somewhere near the upcoming farmhouse.

Health Benefits of Olive Oil - Organic and unprocessed olive oil contains a good source of Vitamin E. Olive oil's protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones and protects against gallstones. You can also use olive oil for a gallstone cleanse routine. Olive oil is also known for controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels. (1-3) No other naturally produced oil has as large an amount of monounsaturated as olive oil -mainly oleic acid. Another health benefit of olive oil is that it does not upset the critical omega 6 to omega 3 ratio and most of the fatty acids in olive oil are actually an omega-9 oil which is monounsaturated.

Mamaki - Hawaii's own Nettle Tea

Having harvested Mamaki leaves from Fieldhouse Farm, I am sipping on Mamaki tea, made from the dried leaves. If it is possible to make the tea from freshly picked leaves that is even better. I add a little honey to sweeten although it is nice without it as well.

Mamaki is a part of the nettle family and is endemic (meaning that it only grows in Hawaii). In the absence of predators, the nettle plant in Hawaii, grows without stinger hairs on the leaves which is very nice for when it comes time to pick it.

Mamaki is a tonic and cleansing agent (a diuretic). It is interesting that on the back of the leaves the veins are red - this is a way to identify that Mamaki is a good blood tonic. I think it is best to drink it three days on two days off. Just one or two cups is sufficient - using about 6 leaves per cup (you can reuse the leaves once for the second cup.) Because Mamaki is a diuretic, you should not exceed two cups per day and be sure to drink at least one glass of water which will also help with the purification of your system.

Helping to control high blood pressure and cholesterol, Mamaki is used for heart health. It has also been reported that drinking Mamaki has helped numerous folks respiration system from the VOG we sometimes experience here on the Big Island. It is also used to help with listlessness and to regain vitality from rundown states.

The berries that grow on the branches (which are white once they are ripe) are also helpful to the prostrate and urinary track, assisting to control the need to pee in the middle of the night as well as maintaining healthy yeast levels.

Fern Forest a New Hybrid of Coffee

Fern Forest a new hybrid of coffee arrives at Fieldhouse Farm. Pots of what was originally Kona coffee are ready to plant once the weeds are cleared out of a sunny spot in the forest. It will take a little patience to see them turn into actual pots of coffee, yet worth the wait! This hybrid of coffee is grown for local forest dwellers, and aptly named by Fieldhouse Farm as Fern Forest coffee, which will eventually be roasted Dark, Medium and Light.


We've been on the hunt for locally grown coffee plants, and this past weekend, were able to find plants already acclimated to Fern Forest.

I'd like to post the health benefits of coffee, but unfortunately, while coffee in moderation is okay, coffee is addictive (I cannot wait to go to bed so I can wake up and have some.) Coffee is a digestive irritant and adrenal stimulant and should be used in moderation.

Like all things that should be used in moderation, there is a huge appreciation for the indulgence. We wait with great anxiety (I mean calm patience) as the trees grow to maturity and produce beans ready to roast and toast.

JABOTICABA - Brazilian Grape-like tropical fruit

JABOTICABA -Myrciaria cauliflora a Brazilian shrub that is cultivated for its tasty purplish/black tropical fruit. The trees are short growing around 10- 25 feet tall. It is a very slow growing tree which prefers moist, lightly acidic soils for best growth.. sounds like a winner for Fieldhouse Farm.

We have planted a young tree just in front of a pineapple patch and covered the base with Te leaves. As with all our plants, there is also a layer of organic manure enhanced with BAM layered in to the gravel.

The fruit which is like a grape, but with thicker skin, can be eaten raw or be used to make jellies and drinks (plain juice or wine). Some compare jaboticabas to muscadine grapes. The aborigines made wine of the jaboticabas. The skin contains a lot of Tannins so it is advisable not to eat too many with the skins and also to make the juice and wine without the skins.

When continuously irrigated it flowers frequently, and fresh fruit can be available year round in tropical regions (thank you.). While researching more about this plant, I discovered that it has been reported from Brazil that solitary jaboticaba trees bear poorly compared with those planted in groups, which indicates that cross-pollination enhances productivity... thinking we should plant another tree nearby.

The fruit is formed only on the inner branches and trunk. When it first flowers it looks a bit like a giant cauliflower.

Medicinal Uses

The astringent decoction of the sun-dried skins is prescribed in Brazil as a treatment for hemoptysis, asthma, diarrhea and dysentery; also as a gargle for chronic inflammation of the tonsils.

Nutritional Highlights

Jaboticaba fruit contains a decent amount of Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C), Calcium, phosphorus, lysine and tryptophan (more good mood fruits growing at Fieldhouse Farm)