The pineapple industry has shaped Hawaii’s landscape as well as our culture. The agriculture industry brought many workers in from Portugal, Japan, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. With this influx of immigrant workers, Hawaii has a beautiful mix of cultures. You can best see this mix of cultures in our famous Hawaii Plate Lunch. I will touch on this more in upcoming posts. Stay tuned by signing up for our email list below.
Here is a very brief history of Hawaii’s pineapple heydays:
Pineapples were first introduced to Hawaii in 1813 by Don Francisco de Paula y Marin. He was the Spanish advisor to King Kamehameha I, and is also credited with bringing coffee to the islands around the same time. By 1913 Pineapple was a booming business, Hawaii had eight canneries, which altogether packed nine millions cases of pineapple. Pineapple production saw its peak in 1955 with roughly 76,700 acres planted. In five years from its peak, Hawaii will be credited with supplying 80% of the world's canned pineapple.
Steps to Deliciousness:
First, you will need to buy a fresh, healthy looking pineapple. The pineapple crown should be green and have a healthy looking center. The crown is the most important part so pay attention when purchasing.
1. Twist the crown off the top of the pineapple. You can cover it with a kitchen towel and give it a firm twist.
2. Fill a mason jar with water.
3. Place pineapple crown's bottom into the water of mason jar. Make sure not to submerge past the first row of leaves.
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4. Change water once a week.
5. Roots will start growing down into the water. Remove and clean dead leave at the base of the crown.
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6. You can keep the pineapple in the mason jar for a very very long time. But at this point, I recommend giving your pineapple a jumpstart in life and planting it in soil.
7. Water your pineapple often and transfer to a larger pot when needed.
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8. In about a year or two you should see the plant start to flower. A mini pineapple will form. Continue to watch pineapple.
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9. Harvest when pineapple is golden in color.
10. Enjoy!
If you can't wait a year for your pineapple. Here are some of Hawaii Made’s pineapple inspired gifts:
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