A farm on Maui enlightens visitors about the tropical palm’s seed

The coconut palm might be a Hawaiian icon, but, in truth, we kamaaina take it for granted. After all, it’s so common, so familiar, so … well … ordinary.

We see it everywhere — on beaches, in yards and as part of the landscaping at parks, schools, malls and businesses. No wonder most of us don’t give it a second thought.

Kai McPhee aims to change that. Thirteen years ago, his family planted 250 coconut palms on 2 acres of their 13-acre property above Lahaina, in the foothills of the West Maui Mountains. Most of the trees started yielding coconuts for the first time within the past two years, providing what McPhee views as an excellent educational opportunity at Punakea Palms.

As the owner of the endeavor, he is actively involved with every phase of operations, from cultivation to marketing and product development. On a two-hour tour, he enlightens visitors about the coconut through demonstrations, activities and an information-packed narration.

“I was raised in Lahaina, and when I was growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, there were sugar cane fields as far as you could see in both directions,” said McPhee, the tour’s primary guide. “It had been that way for over a century. The sugar plantations used a lot of chemicals back then, and nutrients were being removed from the ground whenever they harvested.”

Because of that, the land was in poor condition when Punakea Palms’ trees were planted. As tour groups linger in the grove, McPhee describes how natural farming methods are rejuvenating the soil.

“For 10 years, my dad was trimming fronds off the trees and hauling them away to keep this place nice and tidy,” he said. “Now we’re returning those resources to the ground by making compost from fallen fronds.

“Our fertilizer is droppings from the hundreds of birds that fly in and out of our farm every day. Critters like worms, beetles and centipedes are thriving in the healthier environment. They loosen the soil like little tractors, allowing moisture, nutrients and oxygen to penetrate deep into the ground.”

From start to finish, the tour highlights the reasons why McPhee regards the coconut as one of the most amazing plants on the planet.

For one thing, it may be the world’s most active traveler. At any given time around the globe, countless coconuts are falling off trees, rolling down beaches, floating in streams and heading into oceans.

Buoyant, resilient and water-resistant, they can bob for thousands of miles before putting down roots in coastal regions from Mexico to Myanmar, Tanzania to Thailand and Sri Lanka to the Solomon Islands.

Lofty sun worshippers, they soak up solar energy with leaves that can measure 4 feet wide and 18 feet long. Coconut palms can live for more than a century and grow nearly 100 feet tall.

As visitors sit in the shaded demonstration area, McPhee cracks open coconuts at various stages of maturity and notes the differences in water, meat and shell firmness.

Young coconuts (6 to 8 months old) have a soft, thin shell and a dense, moist husk, which makes them heavier than mature coconuts. They’re full of water, and their 1/8-inch layer of bland “meat” is akin to custard in texture. They’ll keep for just eight to 10 days.

Fully mature coconuts (12 to 14 months) are about half full of water; their shell is hard; and their meat is firm, fibrous and about 3/4-inch thick. Their shelf life is about two months.

For many visitors, the highlight of the tour is helping McPhee make coconut milk from scratch. After he blends coconut chunks and water into a pulp, volunteers use cheesecloth to squeeze milk from it. One coconut produces about a quart of milk, which each group of guests takes with them. It will last about five days in the fridge.

“Coconut milk is a great substitute for dairy milk,” McPhee said. “Use it for smoothies, pour it on cereal and make curry and soups with it. You can whisk it into whipped cream and churn it into really creamy ice cream.”

Besides being delicious, coconuts are high in potassium, fiber, manganese and a type of natural saturated fat that boosts metabolism, supports the immune system and increases the body’s “good” HDL cholesterol.

In addition, the tree supplies timber and coir (husk fibers) that can be used to make rope, mats, compost, brushes, mattress stuffing and more. Its leaves can be woven into toys, hats, bags, baskets and thatch for roofing. The oil extracted from copra (dried coconut meat) is used for cooking and to manufacture soap, moisturizer, cosmetics and hair products. Coconut shell charcoal burns longer, hotter and cleaner than regular briquettes.

“When they come for our tour, the only thing most guests — including kamaaina — know about coconuts is that they’re great for pina coladas,” McPhee said. “I love seeing how their appreciation for coconuts increases as their knowledge increases. It’s high time for the coconut to get some attention, and at Punakea Palms, we’re happy to pull it from the sidelines into the spotlight.”

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.