Home Grown Eggs-ellence

• READ

  
  

  Wai'anae, Hawai'i
  October 28th, 2013 - Wai'anae, Hawaii
  
  Hawaii is home to over 7,500 farms, covering over one million acres. On a few of these acres sits Maili Moa, or Maili Chicken. They’re an egg farm on the Leeward Coast of Oahu who’ve been rolling out their product for almost two decades. The owner, Mark Takaki, is all about quality and control on his farm. “Quality control is so important to us here, which is why everything we do is all hands on. It keeps things regulated and just gives us a better egg for our customers,” said Takaki.
  
  A lot of work takes place to get these eggs from the chicken to the customers. Everyday, eggs on the farm are washed, sized, graded, and the packaged. Some will be delivered to customers who subscribe to monthly deliveries while others will be packaged for sale on the farm. Regardless of destination, the process and care of the eggs is always the same.
  
  Providing the consistent service and product isn’t cheap though. Hawaii does not have a feed mill, so it has to be flown in for an enormous cost, which left Maili Moa scrambling to make ends meet. Takaki said, “Feed prices went through the roof overnight and basically we needed to downsize because we couldn’t compete with the mainland eggs coming in so cheap.”
  
  Still, this didn’t keep the chickens on the farm from cheeping. To ensure their survival, the farm separated themselves from the flock and switched to producing cage-free eggs. Takaki is the only farmer in Hawaii who has made the switch, and the difference really shows. “I enjoy when my customers come and they really say, ‘We don’t wanna buy from the mainland, we prefer your eggs, your eggs are the best,” Takaki said.
  
  For now, Mark is still trying to get the word out about what he and his farm are doing, and what it could do for Hawaii.

---

Looking Back

Sustainability is important at every level and something that starts locally can grow into something greater.


Kahunui Foster, Reporter

---

I enjoyed spending time with the Takaki family while filming for this story. They enjoy their job so much that it seems more like a hobby.

Shayla Ader, Photographer

---

Awards/Honors

Award of Merit - Light News

2013 STN Fall Nationals - 1st Place Human Interest

Season 4 Official Selection

Olelo Youth Exchange 2014 Experts Category Finalist