Bugs give a boost to farm fair a galloping good time in kapolei
By Suzanne Roig Andrew Shimabuku | The Honolulu Advertiser Andrew Shimabuku | The Honolulu Advertiser
KAPOLEI Home-grown veggies, specially grown cattleya orchids, taro products and bugs could be found at the annual Hawai'i State Farm Fair in Kapolei yesterday.
The annual fair featured homegrown products, E.K. Fernandez rides, a petting zoo, a bunny display and an ice cream- eating contest.
By far the University of Hawai'i entomology booth under the blue-and-white-striped information tent drew the biggest number of oohs and ughs from people who were offered a tasty brownie or chocolate chip cookie made with bugs.
Ten-year-old Siana Siquig proudly sampled a brownie with crickets baked in, instead of the usual nuts. Popping it into her mouth, Siquig said: "It didn't taste like a bug at all. I feel so brave. That was my first time eating a bug."
Each year the Entomology Department at the university operates an information booth at the fair to educate people about some of the common pests going after produce grown in Hawai'i.
To illustrate his point, volunteer Darcy Oishi donned a bike helmet modified to look like a fruit fly head and sported wings on his back as he showed fair-goers the department's display of live banana aphids, gall wasps, cockroaches, jumping spiders, praying mantis and centipedes.
"We dare everyone to eat the cookies," Oishi said. "We've passed out about 400 cookies today. Instead of nuts we put in meal worms and crickets in the brownies and cookies. They have a nutty flavor.
"You wanna try one?"
This was the fair's second year at the Kapolei site on the corner of Farrington Highway and Fort Barrette Road. The fair continues today, noon to 11 p.m., and Friday, Saturday and next Sunday. The fair is an O'ahu County Farm Bureau event. In previous years the fair had been held at Aloha Stadium.
At the petting zoo, an excited Violet Jensen left the enclosure with a big frown on her face. She didn't want to leave the animals, said the 4-year-old kindergartner.
"I liked all the animals. I wanted to stay longer," she said.
Her father, Chad Jensen, said the family comes every year to the farm fair to pet the rabbits, the cow, the dog and the sheep. The petting zoo is tops on their list of must-dos.
Alan Takemoto, Hawai'i Farm Bureau executive director, was pleased with the turnout since the fair opened on Thursday.
"Attendance is climbing," Takemoto said. "The first couple of days is always kind of slow and then it climbs."
Advertiser Staff Writer
Jared Dubose, 10, rode on the carousel at the Hawai'i State Farm Fair yesterday in Kapolei. The fair is an O'ahu County Farm Bureau event.
Jessica Uyesaka, 3, enjoyed spending time at the petting zoo at the Hawai'i State Farm Fair in Kapolei.