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Josh Levy AMH

The Haraguchi Rice Mill

Rice Era Hanalei majority of the historic building were built within the rice era, started from the 1960s. This was a farm area where there were mostly flat lands and Agriculture was the way to go, there was crops like tobacco, coffee, and sugarcane just to name a few. In the 1970s there was an increase in Chinese farmers start lease lands and rice became the one economic crop eventually.

Growing and Milling Rice in Hanalei It takes approximately 4 months from planting to harvesting of rice. The rice farmers in Hanalei didn’t have much time to rest, they plant rice all year round and when the work gets intensive farmers would pool together and help other farmers neighbouring to them. The rice seeds where planted into seedbeds and incorporated with organic manure 3 inches high, then waited for seeds to germinate into seedlings. Rice Pest in Hanalei The most prominent rice pest in Hanalei in the rice era was the Chinese sparrow, also called the nutmeg manikins. They would drink the milk from the rice as it matures and eat the kernels as well. These birds had to be scared away by cans filled with stone which make noise as the pitch on the attached strings connecting them. Hanalei River The Hanalei valley agricultural production was feasible due to the readily available water supply from the Hanalei River which runs through the main land of Hawaii. This river was available to almost everyone in this Pacific island because of its heavy flow of fresh water.

Hawaii Rice Economy The Haraguchi rice mill played a huge role in the agricultural history of Hanalei. The island was rice cultivated by the Chinese first, taken over by the Japanese years after. Farmers were getting approximately $15 to $18 per bag. The Japanese rice where planted mainly for home consumption, meanwhile the Chinese rice was the one that was exported or shipped elsewhere. Physical Appearance and Origin The Haraguchi rice mill was constructed in 1930. It was a one room shack which inside it you had sections for milling, engine operation and an area for storage process and unprocessed rice and finally a apex style metal roof. Haraguchi Rice mill Disaster The Haraguchi Rice mill was rebuilt in 1930, when it was first destroyed by fire in the month of March. Following this disaster, in 1959 Hurricane Dot damage the roof and air vent of the milling machine at the Haraguchi rice mill. Also in 1982 the mill was massively destroyed by Hurricane Iwa in the month of November. The whole milling house was collapse unto the machine which was safe and ready to mill again. In 1992 Hurricane Iniki had passed over this disaster prone farm mill again. Founders and Family History The Haraguchi rice farm is found in Hanalei by the great Japanese decent Ine and Tomijiro Haraguchi. Along with being the largest Rice farm they also take part in Fishing the water of Hanalei bay. Haraguchi Rice Mill Shut down The Haraguchi Rice Mill was shut down in 1960, which make it the last rice mill out of the five to be closed. This was due to competition of the United States and damage by the rice, which eventually makes the Haraguchi Rice Mill an unprofitable one. Farm Transition Today the Haraguchi family farm is still in progress and its family tree is at the fifth generation and counting. Previously the four other rice mill farms coverts and start planting other crops, just as how the Haraguchi Rice Mill is not milling rice no more, but they are doing taro instead in the Hanalei Valley. Current Haraguchi Farm The Haraguchi Farm is still own today by the Haraguchi family fifth going to the sixth generation and this farm is going over 100 year old. On the farm presently they have taro production; also this farm in Hanalei is use as a getaway back to nature tour, where it’s a non-profit entity. The Haraguchi farm is now used to serve the Hawaii Island as a site of recreational entity for tour of school, where Hawaiian students are train how to grow and harvest taro. These taro farming don’t just stop there but there are business sprung from it where by-products are made from it and other ancient dishes which as a lucrative market within the community. Conclusion The Haraguchi Rice Mill was one of the fifth rice mill in Hawaii, Hanalei of the Pacific Island, it created and impact for families and communities in an around the island. Even thou it has gone through many disasters during its time of maximum production this farming community contributed to the island economy where as it provide jobs, increase foreign exchange earnings and also rice was used as a staple food for the Chinese and Japanese farm for their basic life functioning. Today the farm as no rice on it but instead is as taro and its non-profit contribution of personal development for schools and other back to nature visit are still impactful as when it was back then. This farm now entertains traditional dishes made from fresh taro straight off the farm and still embracing its originality and traditional values up to today in 2019.