Honestly, this is my first time. I never knew there was a pumpkin farm in Waimanalo. I need to…read moreventure out more. I am familiar with Aloun farm. So, all you people out there who have never visited Waimanalo Country Farms, this is your chance. I did the hay ride. You get to hear a live story from the driver. No such thing as prerecording. It's like a historic museum ride about this farm. This farm strictly ran by a family of six generation if I remember correctly. I also got to try their lovely pumpkin pie and sweet tea. They were extremely fresh and good. I like to believe that they made it from scratch since they have all the ingredients.

It was our first day visiting Hawaii and still quite early in the day after checking in at our…read morehotel, renting our car and also checking out local eateries at Waikiki before coming down to this side of the island. We visited because we saw ads of the pumpkin patch and wanted to check it out ourselves. Military gets an entry discount for visiting too. This place also offers a riding tour on one of the trailers, there's also one for kids on a different ride. The most interesting part is the farm, we love seeing cute and small animals, the goats were the most active at the location, the donkeys were also loud. You can also feed the goats by visiting the food booth and paying one of the staff members for a cup of dried green bites. We took lots of pics, it was getting hot for us but what ever, it's Hawaii. Our favorite part was the sunflower field, it was away from the crowd and we can choose any lane to take pics, just watch out for bees if you're afraid of them or can't tell between wasps, yellow jackets or bees. It looked like a lot of the good pumpkins were already picked out so the pumpkin field looked pretty decent, the swing that's at the pumpkin patch area was a nice touch though.

We always have a great time at the annual Pumpkin Festival at Aloun Farms!…read more This year, they had great rides from E.K. Fernandez, including a Ferris Wheel! We had a blast. They also had the free hayride, entertainment, the pumpkin patch, sunflower patch, pony rides, and more! I love that they partner with organizations for great giveaways. My hubby won 2 RT airline tickets to anywhere Southwest flies on the mainland by winning a watermelon eating contest! Woop woop! They also had really cute staged areas for photo taking, tons of food vendors, a farmer's market, etc. You can't go wrong when there's something for everyone to do. Highly recommend checking this place out for Halloween time. Bring boots and plenty of water and sunscreen - it's hot out there, but always fun.

We went to Aloun Farms for the Fall Festival this year and overall had a nice time! It was great…read morethat the event was dog friendly. We brought our pup along and she loved exploring. The decorations were cute and festive, and the staff we interacted with were all friendly and welcoming. It was definitely crowded and a bit overwhelming, so we only stayed for about an hour. It was also really hot, which made it tough for both us and our dog. We walked around, grabbed some food, checked out the sunflowers and pumpkin patch, and then stopped by the farmers market store before heading out. The store service was quick, but one moment stood out. A young boy was trying his best to help us and do the math for our items when another staff member suddenly took over and told him, "You're going to the side. You're way too slow." It felt a little uncomfortable to witness, since the boy was clearly trying his best. I understand things can get busy, but it just didn't feel right to scold him in front of customers. Despite that, the festival itself was fun, the food and produce were great, and it's always nice to see local families and pets enjoying the day. We'll probably go again, maybe earlier in the morning next time when it's less crowded and cooler.

Did ya know that the Honolulu City Light started back in da mid-80's?…read more The tradition started back in 1985, it was an idea from the honorable Frank F. Fast (da BESTEST Honolulu mayor)! A little history about this wonderful event - https://www.honolulucitylights.org/our-story#:~:text=1985,Honolulu%20City%20Lights%E2%80%9D%20Is%20Born From a simple 50 foot Christmas tree that was installed on the courtyard of Honolulu Hale back in 1985.........through the years this holiday event has greatly expanded with a lot more holiday displays to see. One of the most iconic displays on the Honolulu Hale courtyard is the "Shaka" Santa, & Tutu Mele. The event is free, and there are numerous holiday displays on the courtyard, as well as inside of Honolulu Hale. Shout out to the hard working city workers who take the time to put up the holiday displays, as it takes a lot of time to do this. The holiday displays are usually put up around Thanksgiving time, with a big Christmas tree lighting ceremony event on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. The holiday display stays here for about a month, then it is usually taken down after the new year. Loved by locals, as well as visitors, if you're ever visiting da 808 in December, don't miss out! Make da trip down to Honolulu Hale to see this wonderful holiday display. Merry Christmas!

The Honolulu City Lights Parade is definitely a great experience for kids, but make sure you plan…read moreahead. Parking is tough--you'll want to arrive at least an hour and a half early to find a decent spot and set up. The streets get super packed and crowded, so getting there early really makes a difference if you want a clear view of the tree and parade route. Make sure to bring snacks and drinks because the parade is pretty long. I'd say it lasted around two hours, and honestly, it could be shortened a bit. There are quite a few groups marching, including schools that aren't even from town, which felt unnecessary. On the bright side, there are some fun vendors selling glow sticks, bubble machine lights, and other light-up toys that kids love. If you continue down the road to Thomas Square, they've added even more lights, a train ride for kids, and some food options over there too. Overall, it's a pretty great experience for families, especially if you plan ahead and get settled early. Kids will definitely enjoy it!

It's spring time! And oh boy does my little backyard need a refresh. I've been to their plant store…read morein town before, but this is more like a garden center rather than a houseplant store. I loved looking around at all the plants. As in most places in Hawai'i, if you're prone to getting bug bites (aka me), you might wanna spray on some protection or cover up. I love that they have a mix of plants, produce, and really cute products. Everything you'd need from moss poles, spray bottles, ceramic pots of all sizes. I even got a really cute plant sticker for my water bottle.

This botanical oasis is lovingly tended with awesome pots and fancy plants like albo monstera, a…read moreplethora of succulents for the beginner and advanced green thumbs and much much more. The staff is helpful and kind and do a great job at explaining how best to care for your plant children. There's also a nice selection of veggies both to start a garden or to eat for dinner tonight. Aside from that it is a very relaxing atmosphere to walk through and explore. For those that are more mosquito prone, wear some bug spray or a citronella sticker to keep the little bites at bay.

We have been purchasing 19 day old eggs from Asssgi hatchery for the past two decades, and we…read morehave never, ever been disappointed. Customer service is outstanding, extremely helpful and encouraging . Thank you so much Assagi!

They have been so helpful at educating us on chicken breads and ensuring we will be successful at…read moreraising chicks. Everyone I have talked to are so kind and respectful.

This was a highlight of our visit to the North Shore... Visit them. Help support the local…read morecommunity and the bees. The owner, our host (Ash), and Samir were all wonderful! Did you know: Female bees dominate the hive, making up more than 95% of the population. They are the only ones who work, sting, and populate. #girlbosses

We drove up to the honey farm, expecting a store where we could buy local products and support…read moretheir business, but the gate was closed, and the person who answered the phone said that their honey is available in some markets, or at the fruit stand in the front if it's open, but they do not sell it separate from their farm tours. So do not drive up there expecting to buy any honey products. I think they could make a lot of money selling different honey products. At least someone answered the phone.

As far as I know it's the only place you can get the honey crème pineapple. And they are truly…read moreamazing !!!!

How did I not know about this place?! Then again, I'm not all that surprised... my cousins don't…read moreeven know about Frankie's and they lived their whole lives there! They've been around since 1979!!! "Frankie's Nursery presents quality fruit trees direct from the fruit tree specialists. We offer free consultation and a worldwide selection of the best tropical and subtropical fruit tree cultivars. We travel to many tropical countries seeking to introduce the finest promising cultivars available. Introduced trees are grown on our farm and propagated for release to the public, only after they exhibit their merit here in Hawaii. Discover the versatility and ornamental values that fruit trees can provide in landscaping your home or farm. At Frankie's Nursery we continue striving to provide you with the best cultivars since 1979" Visitors are welcome to explore the nursery ground, only where our tropical and subtropical fruit trees are for sale. We have a fruit stand selling our daily harvested fruits from our mature trees, and an assortment of homemade delicious tropical juices. Fruits for sale vary depending on seasons. For example, mangoes are primarily available in summer and durians are in the winter. Please call for more information on availability. Stolen from - https://www.frankiesnurseryllc.com/ Da wahine heard about Frankie's from one of her friends and was adamant about visiting the farm. So off the farm we went... Drive slow, not need to ruin your car, the road is a bit rough when you start going deep into the nursery. Frankie's is on the Windward side, but basically in the mountains. You really need to know where you are going, it's most definitely off the beaten path. Cell reception starts to get much weaker... almost non existent. There are a healthy variety of plants for you to purchase, Frankie's is after all a nursery. But the main focus of this trip was to try the exotic fruits. They sell a variety of exotic fruits from around the world. The staff are very knowledgeable and friendly and will gladly tell you about the fruits. They do have cut fruit platters for you to try, just make sure you bring a cooler bag, it's a journey onto itself to get here. There are few picnic tables in the back for you to enjoy fresh fruits, along with a hand washing station and a restroom. #ExoticFruits: ~ BLACK SAPOTE topped off with Whipped Cream - 5/5 Amazing. A MUST TRY! I never had anything like this. Nature's Chocolate Pudding!! ~ Exotic Fruit platter - 4.5/5 The platter changes on a regular basis... depending on availability and seasons. I never heard of some of these fruits. The best way to try a little of everything. Some of the fruits were delish, some very strange. I'd love to return and try some of the other fruits.

5-7-2020 updated review: 4 th and final delivery…read more For the convenience of not having to leave your home, once your account is set up and you are put on a route, then it's an option to consider. Quality of produce varies- now that businesses will be opening up next week, timing was perfect. For myself, I'd choose fresh and unblemished produce. Percentage wise, 70% of the time the items were okay. The remaining items I'd personally would have not chosen the quality of some items I.e., wilted, slimy ends in plastic bag, blemished dings or scratches on items, nicks in skin of produce. For this last order the items were good. Unlike last week's driver, who rang the doorbell, different driver today never sent a final text or notification that produce had arrived. With this heat, lettuce would suffer. Be cautious. My four deliveries were a gift yet I received a message after my 3rd delivery that I owed $50+- unbelievable. Also was told someone put a hold on my delivery and did I want to activate up again. Seemed screwy,and undoubtedly alarming to me. I tried to keep calm and composed so that there wouldn't be a backlash on what was in my final bag. I'm glad someone surprised me with this as a gift. Gave me the chance to experience delivery to my front door. Rocky start but remaining 3 deliveries got better. Super glad I received regular sized tomatoes and head lettuce vs loose leaf for this ending delivery. Live and let learn. Note: you need to be a lover of veggies. My crisp bin still has some unused items from last week's delivery even though I cooked daily and incorporated veggies at least twice daily. I didn't want to see another carton of tiny tomatoes for a LONG time, honest! Thankyou my gift giver and mahalo to the person who bagged my produce today- awesome job today. Okay, all pau, literally, the end.

We decided to start a farm fresh service, since the farmers markets were closed and we wanted to…read moresupport the local farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic. My husband signed up for a weekly bag that he would pick up at Ala Moana on Saturday. The items in the bag depend on what is available, so you do not get a choice of what goes in the bag. It is $30 per each bag. There are about five or six items per bag. Bags have included onions, green onions, bok choy, small pineapple, sweet potatoes, small Thai watermelon, grape tomatoes, green beans and lettuce. You better like lettuce since every bag contains lettuce that is about half the bag!! Unfortunately you cannot choose the items in your bag, so you might end up with items that you don't like or want. In general most of the items looked reasonably fresh. The problem with the service is that there is no quality control. In our last bag, they were two onions and both were completely rotten. I can't imagine the person who put them in the bag didn't notice that they were rotten. There is no consistency when it comes to the quality of the produce. Also considering that the bag is pricey for what you get, so you would expect that all the items in the bag were of usable quality. Needless to say after getting some rotten items, we canceled our service.

Grocery shopping in Kalihi, Honolulu, Hawaii…read more.. Located at The Marketplace at City Square, Marissa's Produce is one of the many vendors with fresh veggies for sale! I enjoy getting produce here at this air-conditioned indoor market because it's cleaner than Chinatown and has free shared parking! I saw that the small bitter melons were $5.99 per pound - what an awesome price! The vendor at the next stall was selling small bitter melon at $7.99 per pound... whoa! Of course I had to get a bag! I wandered around and saw other merchandise such as canned and bottled ingredients. That's very convenient for home cooking! I'll be back - especially since service was very efficient! At first, there was only one cashier. When the gal bagging vegetables saw the line of customers, she came to the second cash register and rang me up... thank you!

Housed in a former gas station, it would be easy to drive right on by without a second thought, as…read morenothing from the outside hints at the culinary treasures within. Despite the fact that it's a considerably trek for city-dwellers, factoring either traffic or bus schedules into the equation, or both if you're particularly unlucky, it's a journey always worth taking. Hit Hanauma Bay along the way and make it a day trip; the only way to top those dazzling sights is to follow them with a stellar meal. Boasting a menu composed of locally-sourced produce and entirely vegan options, you'll want to take a number of friends for the best experience. Heck, get out there and make some new friends! Join one of the long communal picnic tables out back and introduce yourself; there are no friendlier folks on earth than those living in paradise, as far as I've seen. That said, if there was only one dish to order, it would have to be the Oh WOW Laulau. Wow, indeed! No where else on earth have I found vegan laulau, let alone such a stellar rendition. Traditionally consisting of fatty pork and/or fish steamed in taro leaves, this version eschews the meat in favor of hearty root vegetables, adding creamy coconut into the mix for richness. Not to be overlooked is the Tofu Poke provided on the side, claiming to be spicy but really bearing just enough warmth to taste perfectly balanced. This was easily my personal favorite from the small sampling of dishes provided, but it's a close call when all the options are so good. Another front runner is the BBQ Portobello Sandwich. Mushrooms marinated in a bright, smoky barbecue sauce practically sing between two whole wheat buns. Coconut slaw tops off the assemblage with just the right amount of subtle sweetness to contrast the deeply savory flavors within. Simpler but no less spectacular dishes include the Roasted Veg Platter and Roasted Veg Avocado Sandwich. The way that the vegetables are treated with respect, from the moment they're harvested from nearby farms to the care taken when they reach the kitchen is evident with every bite. Cooked with care and proffered generously with each serving, even the basics make the trek out here worthwhile. I'm still trying to recreate that impossibly umami gravy offered on the side. It's one of those things that are so astoundingly, inconceivably delicious, it's impossible to deconstruct. Each entree promises an ideal amount of food; satisfying diners without over-stuffing them. That said, you'll still want to make room for dessert, especially when you see the towering bowls full of Outta This Swirled Soft Serve. Cool, naturally sweet spirals of banana-based soft serve are dressed to the nines with cacao sauce that hardens much like magic shell, granola and coconut flakes tumbling down the mountainous terrain, and fresh fruits that vary based on local availability- Expect papaya always to be in ample supply, based on the thriving papaya trees on premise. Each order is abundant enough to be a considered a full meal in and of itself.

This was a savior when driving around the windward side of island and looking for vegetarian lunch…read more We ordered Portobello burger which had mushroom pieces instead of the patty as I had assumed but tasted good nevertheless. Hummus wrap was good too but cold contrary to my expectation again. Overall nice place but not as good as other reviews made it sound. Another thing to note is that they don't have restrooms. You can go across the parking lot in MacD for that.