Hawaii Needs Good Soil To Grow More Food. Here’s How That Can Happen There’s a renewed focus among lawmakers and scientists as the state faces a “quantum moment” to develop a more self-reliant and sustainable system.
CAPTAIN COOK, Hawaii — Bob Shaffer sees more than just soil when he stands in a trench. He sees potential.
When sampling the soil on a coffee farm in Kona on the Big Island, Shaffer considers its texture and appearance, how the soil attaches to roots and how and where the earth’s layers change. He looks for worms.
As an agronomist who specializes in soil and plants on farms, Shaffer wants to see farmers’ worst soil to help them make the most of their land.
“The basis of sustainability is the soil,” Shaffer said.
