Our Mission is to provide locally raised pork to Hawaii, help make Hawaii a little more sustainable, and pave the way for the next generation of pig farmers.
We believe that the people of Hawaii prefer local products. Our goal is to make sure the people have that option when it comes to pork. Did you know,until recently, when you saw "Local" or "Island Fresh" labels on pork, it meant that they were pigs that were shipped live from the mainland to Hawaii that were locally slaughtered? We believe Hawaii needs to grow and supply more of it's own food. Our goal is to help make Hawaii a little more sustainable. Did you know that 90% of Hawaii's food is imported and that on any given day, we only have 5 days worth of food? We believe that there is a need to continue to produce pigs in Hawaii. Our goal is to be trailblazers for our industry to help encourage the next generation and help pig farming to become viable once again. |
Patsy
I'm a third generation farmer who was born and raised on my family's vegetable farm. Our family was, at one time, the largest producer and supplier of Manoa lettuce in Hawaii. I married into pig farming and have been raising hogs for 30 years.
I value being a farmer because I love animals, enjoy working with my hands, and take pride in providing food for people. At the age of 50, I got my first job outside of the farm working for the USDA,as an ag inspector, at the airport. At age 51, I went back to school to take agricultural classes at LCC. Farming is hard work and it's never ending. However, I enjoy what I do and feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. |
Stacy I'm a school counselor at an intermediate school and have been a pig farmer for 5 years.
My family and I lived in Waipahu where we had a little garden, an aquaponic system, some chickens, and ducks. We wanted to buy a bigger piece of property where we could be more self sufficient. There was an opportunity to buy the Derego pig farm and we jumped at the chance. Needless to say, self sufficiency went out the door and everything became pigs. I always loved animals, wanted to be a veterinarian as a child, and have been business minded. Now I'm living my dream being able to care for a lot of animals and running our farm. |
How We Joined Forces
The day Stacy and her family moved into the property, the Oshiro's came over to pick up their forklift. They offered to help in any way they could. Fortunately for Stacy and unfortunately for the Oshiro's, they were taken up on that offer. They would come over for hours to help work, teach, and assist on this farm after they were done with theirs. A few years later, the Oshiro's began to cut back on their farm. Patsy wasn't ready to put up her farm boots yet so she partnered with Stacy on her farm. That's how we became 2 Lady Farmers. We work well together, we're like minded in a lot of ways, and compliment each other in our strengths. Together we built up our farm and worked for the common goals we have in providing local pork for Hawaii, increasing Hawaii's self sufficiency, and helping to pave the way for our industry. |