PUA LOKE — There were discounts, there was food, and there were the experts from the many different manufacturers and distributors. This was the value for customers taking in the annual M. Kawamura Farm Enterprises Farm and Garden Expo which
PUA LOKE — There were discounts, there was food, and there were the experts from the many different manufacturers and distributors.
This was the value for customers taking in the annual M. Kawamura Farm Enterprises Farm and Garden Expo which opened yesterday for a two-day run.
To add icing to the already-full offering, Ed Kawamura said Bob King of the Echo Chainsaw Carving Team just returned from a competition in Europe where he placed second against an international field of competitors.
That was verified by the vroom of a chainsaw as King plied his artistry to a log which was destined to become Ed’s fish.
“I wanted him to do a trout,” Kawamura said. “Last year, he did a monk seal. He’s also done an eagle, some dolphins, and other wood sculptures.”
As King worked his magic in a tent set off from the display area, spectators watched as the block of wood began to take the shape of a trout splashing out of the water, an already completed pelican standing guard outside the tent.
But the draw went beyond the chainsaw artist as George Baldwin was getting help from Alan Yamamoto in making sure the purchase of his Echo multi-tool with attachments for hedge trimming, brush cutting and weed whacking was in working order.
“I bought a lot,” Baldwin said, accepting a bag overflowing with owners’ manuals, T-shirts and other gratuities from Leeshia Kawamura. “In addition to the Echo, I also got a Mantis.”
Similarly, Roy Yamakawa finally got a chainsaw as he got help from Shindaiwa representative Tom Frazier in making sure the saw was filled with the proper gas and oil.
Off to one side, a bathtub overflowed with blossoming zinnias, flanked by bags of soil amendments.
“Gardner & Bloome is not a new company,” said Kellogg representative Frank Pierce. “We bought them about 14 years ago, and up until now, it’s been in use by various private nurseries. Now, we’re bringing it to supplement the Kellogg line.”
The Gardner & Bloome lineup includes two premium products and two organic-based amendment products, Pierce said.
The Planting Mix and Harvest Supreme are the premium items in the lineup, and Kawamura said it features an ingredient which helps retain moisture in the medium. The compost and Farmyard Blend make up the other offerings which feature organic manures which have been composted and are ready to use.
Additionally, Pacific Agriculture, the distributor for Kellogg products and several other lines, offered a consumer-friendly treatment for termites at a reasonable price.
According to Lance Yoneyama, the Bayer Advanced product will cover 200 linear feet and is effective for up to nine months.
The consumer simply sprinkles it around the perimeter of his house, waters it to release the chemistry, and once dry, the product offers a shield against ground termites.
“At $50, it’s a pretty good deal,” Pierce said. “And you can do it yourself.”
Among the tractors and power garden tools, emissions are a growing concern and both Echo and Shindaiwa offer models which meet the current California emissions standards while offering easy-to-start features for consumers.
But the highlight of the expo is the giant roll-out grill atop a specially-decorated pickup which Kawamura fired up to offer hot dogs for his vendors.
FM97 will be doing a remote broadcast from the expo which runs through this afternoon.
There is no charge for admission.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
