Stalking the Wild Avocado
On the Big Island of Hawaii.
Chuck called me from Oregon the other day. During the course of our conversation, he asked me “How much do avocados cost on the Big Island?” The easy answer is between $2.49 and $4.00 a pound depending upon the season, the store, and your appetite for the little green organic love grenades. And of course, it depends upon the variety of avocado.
The Little Green Haas
The Haas Avocado is the little darling of grocery stores and farmer’s markets across the mainland United States and the world. This is due to their uniform size, ease of shipping without bruising, shelf life, and most importantly their nutty taste and smooth uniform texture. Eighty percent of the avocados devoured globally are Haas Avocados emanating from one mother tree in Southern California — so the story goes.
Avocado Lovers
Avocado lovers brought their seeds and plants to Hawaii back in the early 1800’s. These avocados can be traced back to their origins in Mexico, Guatemala, the Caribbean, and of course the U.S. mainland. The Hawaiian Islands are a virtual Garden of Eden with mineral-rich soil, abundant rainfall, and tropical sun conspiring to produce eleven of the world’s thirteen climate zones. All of this enables Mother Nature to produce the best fruits and vegetables one can imagine.
One can find avocado trees growing at the ocean side all the way up to 2,000 feet on the sides of our five volcanic mountains on the Big Island.
Guacamole Heaven
Here on the Big Island, there are over 107 different varieties* of avocados grown for markets all over the world. For avocado lovers, this is a pig swimming in guacamole heaven. There are small ones and large ones weighing up to two or more pounds. They come in all shapes and sizes with taste and textures ranging from nutty to buttery and from coarse to silky smooth. With so many varieties there is fruit ripening almost every month of the year if you know where to look. And that is where the fun begins.
Take a Hike
Take a hike, take a drive, stop and ask a neighborhood farmer or ask a stranger along your way where you can find a tree with ripe avocados. If you’re lucky there is a tree standing right beside you. If you’re not lucky, you can find an unattended roadside fruit stand with a box of avocados just waiting for you to arrive. A medium-sized avocado can go for a dollar or two at the most. A small Haas-sized avocado can go for 50 cents. Although you might have to patiently wait a day or two before the fruit softens to a royal smooth texture, it is more than worth the wait. If you can’t wait, head for the next fruit stand or better yet find a farmer’s market that is close to where you are staying or enroute to your next beach or waterfall.
It’s All About Having Fun
So, I told Chuck that the price of an avocado depends upon how much fun you’re willing to have. The more fun, the less it cost, all the way down to free to pick your own off a tree on a deserted road leading to a remote beach.
Of course, I am the lazy one who likes to write about having fun under the Hawaiian sun. We are planting our own varieties to supply our kitchen and dining table year-round. Perhaps with an overabundance of avocados, we will have our own little unattended roadside veggie-fruit stand for your next visit!