Following a philosophy of “food for the body and food for the soul,” master farmer Peter Risley interplants flowers and food, creating scenic, aesthetically pleasing gardens that are also productive and purposeful. Risley Farms’ mission is to provide everyone in the community access to the highest quality produce, everything from strawberries, bok choy, broccoli, carrots, beets, lettuce, spinach, and onions, to a variety of potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Harvests take place each Friday in preparation for Hawi Farmer’s Market on Saturday.
In 2013, the Mauna Kea Soil and Water Conservation District named Peter Risley “Farmer of the Year,” an honor given for exceptional land stewardship, a salute to Peter’s sustainable management practices that include composting and cover-cropping with a restorative mix of buckwheat, rye, oats and sun hemp.
