For years now, the Kapiolani Community College has been the site of a popular farmers market.
Now, the windward side of Oahu gets its turn.
Starting Wednesday, Windward Mall hosts a farmers market.
This represents a new venture - and a cooperative effort.
"We are a true farmers market and it is an incredible partnership between Nalo Farms, Dean Okimoto who is very big on buy local, shop local, know your farmer and Windward Mall," said Wendy Gady of Nalo Farms.
The new farmers market is starting out on a grand scale - 55 vendors so far and more likely waiting in the wings. One of the vendors is Marc Bryne.
"I have the coconut- peanut butter. We grind our own peanuts, we grind our own coconuts. And we have a chocolate coconut peanut butter. We also make a celantro Hawaiian pepper dressing," Bryne said.
Pretty exotic stuff - and yet it's all created locally. That's the point of the farmers market starting up at Windward Mall - keeping the dollars at home.
"I think it's critical for Hawaii for the first point is for us to be sustainable. And if we can grow our own local food, it's a foot step closer to being sustainable. Another thing people don't know is that in an economic development situation, one dollar will circulate seven times in Hawaii. So if you buy from Marc or you buy from Sakhone, those dollars are going to circulate here locally," Gady says/
The farmers market will be open from 2:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at Windward mall. Another local vendor you will find there brings dragon fruit to the market.
"The tiny little seeds that you'll find in the dragon fruit, they are loaded with anti-oxidants. And they actually make health drinks out of them and it lowers your high blood pressure, if you have hyper-tension, if you're a diabetic, it helps it aids in your immune system," said vendor Sakhone Twigg.
Just one of the vendors you'll find at the new farmers market at Windward Mall.
