Flowers and Grasses

By Virginia Beck

‘Ilima flower. Photo by Rebekah Magers

The rains of April and May have nourished our island and filled our reservoirs, bringing new growth to everything.

Blessings to our farmlands, and ranches. Our grass-fed beef is some of the best in the world. Ranchers practicing regenerative ranching are actually able to increase their profits from beef significantly. Around the world, ranchers are learning this method to improve their yields and improve their soil and grass quality, resulting in significantly increased profits.

They are also practicing sustainable agricultural practices that can reduce climate change by absorbing more carbon from the atmosphere and fixing it in the soils and grasses which nourish their beef, sheep and pigs.

Trees break out in explosions of blossoms across the island, flowers that blossomed for May and graduation lei, now are still available for June weddings. Stephanotis vines, perennial favorites hang in garlands on every fence, chain link or not, arbors and climb trellises drenching homes and passersby with heir onaona (Hawaiian for softly fragrant) breath.

June is such a month for weddings. Such joy that visitors can have their long awaited dream wedding on Kaua’i. The same joy that our couples on Kaua’i share. The longing for sweethearts to be joined in marriage, is shared with families and friends.

Our weddings tend to include large families of many generations, reflecting their heritage here on the islands, and the wealth of cousins, grandchildren and the endless numbers of close friends.

On Kaua‘i people don’t want to know what you know. They want to know who you know or are related to — that way we can weave you into our network of relationships. There are probably only 0.5 degrees of separation on this sweet little volcanic island.

Each of the many ethnic groups on Kaua‘i bring a host of traditions that slowly get blended into our mixed heritage, favorite foods and music, and our potlucks are beyond belief. Some of the finest banquets in the world are happening in parks and on beaches around the island.

As we move into summer we can expect less rain, which will be critical to our watersheds and all our resorts, as well as the agricultural enterprises. Our tradewinds have been altered by climate change, and altering some of our traditional ways of managing water will be needed.

Virginia Beck

Planting of vetiver grass, only the “sunshine” variety, which has non-fertile seeds, and cannot become invasive, is a major game changer. Plantings can be obtained from O‘ahu, check the O‘ahu Resource Conservation site, and also Kaua‘i Seascapes nursery. The Big Island farms’ variety cannot be imported due to invasive coqui frogs.

Please do not buy seeds on Amazon, as the variety they sell is the invasive kind.

This grass is actually used to control water flow, it will build a water wall that will hold back up to a foot of water and silt, gradually slowing water so it can be absorbed into the soil instead of running off. In addition, it removes many toxic substances, pesticides, etc. from the soil.

One of its best qualities is filtering runoff to save topsoil, and prevent outflow to the reefs.

The roots are also used in making perfumes. Vetiver is a top note in many of the most famous perfumes.

Aloha is to be shared, pleasantly, and sometimes fragrantly.

• Virginia Beck, NP and Certified Trager® Practitioner, offers Wellness Consultation, Trager Psychophysical Integration and teaches Malama Birth Training classes. She can be reached at 635-5618.