Sarah Etinas
As a born-and-raised Oahu local, I've spent a lot of time getting to know the ins and outs of the beautiful Hawaiian island.
Beyond the golden shores of Waikiki Beach and the bustling shops of Kalakaua Avenue that visitors usually flock to, there's so much more to add to the agenda — including a visit to Kahuku Farms.
Located on the North Shore of Oahu, Kahuku Farms is a four-generation working farm with a lovely farm-to-table café.
Here's a glimpse of what it's like to visit.
As you drive along Kamehameha Highway on Oahu's North Shore, you'll eventually come across a pale-yellow building off to the side of the road — that's Kahuku Farms' Farm Café.
Pull into the dirt parking lot and take a peek at the tasty menu of fresh smoothies, entrées, and desserts.
Sarah Etinas
My go-tos are the farm pizza (ciabatta with mozzarella, tomatoes, eggplant, and a basil-macadamia pesto), the acai bowl (made with locally grown berries), and a box of liliko'i (passion fruit) mochi. But you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu.
As you wait for your food to be freshly made, snag a picnic table or lay out a blanket on the grassy lawn for a meal under the Hawaii sunshine.
Sarah Etinas
Once your belly is full and your taste buds are satisfied, take a walk around the grounds.
There are all sorts of plants (most with labeled signs nearby) in the publicly accessible area — from kale and mint to acai and dragonfruit.
You might even get a glimpse of a few of Hawaii's stray chickens wandering through the rows with you.
For an even more in-depth look at Kahuku Farms, there's a one-hour behind-the-scenes tour on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 1 p.m. It costs $50 a person, and I think it's quite a treat.
You get to explore the public grounds alongside a knowledgeable tour guide and sneak a peek at the farms' commercial lands.
Sarah Etinas
Instead of one tree of each variety here and there, the commercial property boasts acres of crops. Kahuku Farm's main sellers are Laie gold papaya, Japanese eggplant, Brazilian dwarf apple bananas, and kalo (taro).
Along the way, you get to sample loads of fruits straight off the tree, like star apples and cacao fresh out of the pod, and try delicious creations like milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and cacao nibs.
By the end of a visit to the farm, I inevitably want to buy some fresh goodies.
Back at the café, you'll find a few shelves filled with Kahuku Farms grown and made products.
Snag some tropical fruits along with packaged products like passion-fruit butter, fresh chocolate, and honey-mango body butter.
