Tina Marie Garcia (RA) RS 78939, eXp Realty

Tag: Support Local

Oahu’s Favorite Farmers Markets

When it comes to grocery shopping on the island, nothing compares to picking up produce from your local farmers market. Not only is it a great way to support the community, it is also more cost effective, and guarantees you the freshest of product.

Since Hawaii is a culture that thrives off of local agriculture, farmers markets are a staple within the growing communities. It doesn’t matter if you need to pick up some papaya and pineapple, or looking to get your hands on a little Hawaiian honey, we’ve got you covered! 

Here are 15 of Oahu’s favorite Farmers Markets. Each title is complete with a link to their Yelp page for more information. Happy shopping!

KCC Farmers Market
Saturdays, 7:30 am – 11:00 am

Since KCC is one of the most popular markets on island, you are able to choose from a wide variety of farmers and vendors. Everything from fresh squeezed lemonade, vegan grindz and even handmade soaps you are guaranteed to find what you are looking for and more at this farmers market.    

Honolulu Farmers Market

Wednesdays, 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Located inside the Neil Blaisdell Center, The Honolulu Farmers Market is the ultimate spot for a little taste testing action. Local vendors include Vida Farms, Mochi Lab and No Ka Oi Cookie Company.  

Hyatt’s Farmers Market

Thursdays, 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

You can find local artists crafting koi wood sculptures and farms making fresh cane juice, right in the heart of Waikiki. It’s the perfect place to pick up some handmade gifts or hand-picked produce.

King’s Village Farmers Market

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm

This one stop shop is a great way for visitors to sample local sweets & snacks like poke, malasadas, and tapioca pudding. Set up right in the entrance off Kaiulani St, you can’t miss it.

Manoa Farmers Market

Tuesdays, Thursdays, Sundays, 7:00 am – 11:00 am

Although this market is more on the smaller side, it can be paired with a trip to Manoa falls, making for the perfect adventure day. Since it’s held in the Manoa Marketplace shopping center, there’s plenty more to see once you’re finished browsing the market.

Kakaako Farmers Market

Saturdays, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

The layout is just as large as KCC’s, minus the crowd. The less crowded atmosphere allows locals more time to talk with vendors here, so the experience is more engaging. If you like to talk story about where your food comes from, this is the market for you!

Fort Street Mall

Tuesday & Friday, 7:00 am – 2:00 pm

Catered to the working crowd this downtown market was a wider selection of produce than most farmers markets. The market is set up on the pedestrian mall and makes for a great spot to spend your lunch break.

Waialua Farmers Market

Saturdays 8:30 am – 12:00 pm

If you’re not a fan of crafts and food booths in your farmer’s markets, this Co-Op is a good one for you. Almost exclusively produce, the farmers and vendors are happy to give you tips on cooking & preparing your purchases, for a true farm to table experience. 

Mahiku Farmers Market

Wednesdays, 3:00 -7:00 pm

Mahiku runs the markets at King’s Village & Hyatt in Waikiki (see above). This is their Ewa Beach Farmers Market on the West side of Oahu. However, there is typically 7 or 8 vendors total, making it one of the smallest markets on island.

Pearlridge Farmers Market

Saturdays, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

If you could only visit one market on this list, Pearlridge is a must-see! This is one of the only markets where you’ll find organic meats for sale. It has consistently grown, without getting too crowded, so locals love it. There’s even live Hawaiian music to enjoy as you browse! 

Makeke Kapolei 

Thursdays, 3:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Famous for the friendliness of its vendors, this market showcases the essence of aloha. It is also known for having fun activities for the keiki (kids) so they can enjoy themselves while you look around.

Winward Mall Farmers Market

Sundays, 10:00 -2:00 pm

A little different since the booths set up indoors, so you’re out of the heat and in the AC. Some are sceptical about whether most produce is grown locally, but most love the food offerings and the comfortable setting. Maybe not as authentic, but still a good time in the largest mall on the Windward Side.

Haleiwa Farmers Market

Thursdays, 2:00 pm -6:00 pm

You might have known this local market from it’s old location right in Haleiwa town itself. It’s the same community event, just moved over to Waimea Valley. You are sure to find goodies and treats made exclusively on the North Shore of Oahu Keep in mind that a lot of people come to see the waterfalls here, so parking can be hard.

Kailua Farmers Market

Thursdays, 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Recommended as one of the must-do’s while in Kailua, visitors are able to eat a wide selection of local foods and shop some of the freshest produce. With decent prices and variety of vendors to choose from, you won’t leave this market disappointed or empty handed. 

10 Ways to Get More Involved With Your Community

In this modern day, a community is much more than a group of people living in the same area, it’s a sense of belonging. We all need a community to lift us up when the going gets tough and support us in everything we do. Being apart of a community fuels us with purpose while inspiring us to make a difference.

However becoming apart of a community can be slightly challenging. It takes conscious effort and endless commitment to giving any way that you can. You have to step out of your comfort zone and think out of the box. Although it may be intimidating at first, once you get more involved with your community, you will feel empowered by the people around you, while bringing more good into the world.   

Here are 10 ways to start become more involved in your community and begin surrounding yourself with a tribe of uplifting individuals. 

  1. Participate in a Cleanup 

Cleanups are not only an impactful way to prevent pollution, but they also connect us with like-minded people wanting to make a difference in the community.  Working together towards the common goal of making the neighborhood a better place, leads to a cleaner, more close-knit community — now that’s what I call a win, win.

2. Shop at the Local Farmers Market

Once a week local farmers, artists, and musicians come together to share their goods with the community. Farmers markets are a perfect way to connect directly with the source of your produce while helping boost the local economy. Show your support by shopping at your town’s farmers market once a week. 

3. Find a Community Yoga Class

You don’t have to sign up for a high-end studio to gain the benefits of yoga. There are plenty of passionate and well-trained teachers offer donation based classes as a way to give back. You can find flyers at your local health foods store, or even try visiting your neighborhood park and keep an eye out for a group of yogis. 

4. Read Books at the Library

Volunteering to read at the local library is both rewarding and inspiring. Reading to the children of your community helps shape their lives for the better while bringing the fun back into story time for you! With an endless supply of books at hand, there’s no better way to share wisdom and joy with others. 

5. Donate to an Antique Shop

Antiquing is a business that thrives off of local donations and offerings, help keep your local antique shop booming by giving away any items that you no longer need. Chances are you have a lot of clutter in your home, and you know what they say, one mans junk is another treasure. 

6. Drop into a City Council Meeting

What better way to become involved with your community than by understanding what is going on within your community. City Council holds open meetings to inform the public of changes happening in the city, as well as listen to any concerns local residents may have. Become a voice in your community by attending a meeting, asking questions and speaking your mind.

7. Visit a Local Brewery

With craft beer in high demand, breweries are becoming a big part of the community. Not only do brewers use local ingredients to brew their one of a kind beer, but they also bring the neighborhood together by hosting different events, festivals, and tastings. Next time you are headed out for a night on the town, grab a beer at your local brewery.

8. Run for a Cause

Participating in a run that raises awareness for a cause is a meaningful way to get involved with your community. Even if you don’t enjoy the sport of running, doing it for a charity that is important to you is enough motivation to cross any finish line. From cancer research to children’s programs and military support, there are plenty of reasons to run! Check local listings and search for upcoming runs in your area.

9. Volunteer at an Animal Shelter

Most pet shelters are always looking for individuals to help with community outreach. These volunteers help distribute flyers, attend tabling events, bag dog food, perform data entry work and more. You can also give your time by stopping in to show the animals a little love and compassion. 

10. Be a Leader

If you are still having trouble finding ways to get involved with your community, then it’s time to step up and be a leader. Chances are there are people just like you, yearning to make a difference but not really knowing where to start. By organizing your own community event, or meet-up will bring the right kind of individuals into your life, and together you can build a community that supports, inspires and uplifts each other. 

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