Not many diners get the chance to tour the farm that grew the ingredients for their favorite dishes. Oo Farm is the upcountry location where Pacifico restaurant gets its fresh produce. Take a tour of this farm to get a behind-the-scenes look at how farmers use sustainable, no-till practices to grow high-quality produce.
Oo Farm started in 1997 when a pair of restaurant owners purchased 8.5 acres of land in Maui’s Upcountry. At the time, the land hosted a handful of coffee trees and an orchard with citrus and stone fruit trees. Over the years, the farm has flourished into a productive site that grows the fresh fruit and vegetables used by area restaurants. It also produces the coffee used by Aina Gourmet Coffee.
The trip to Oo Farm adds to the experience. Located 3500 feet above sea level, on the slopes of Haleakala. From the vantage point of the farm, you’ll enjoy stunning views of two of Maui’s coasts.
Oo Farm has an active coffee roaster on-site, where you can get freshly roasted coffee grown on the farm. Plus, the gift shop is open all day. Most visitors come for one of the two farm tours, both of which include full multicourse meals. Part of each of the three-hour tours is a meal prepared in front of you with food that you just saw growing. The tour and meal offer the ultimate fresh dining experience. Plus, you’ll learn about the no-till, sustainable methods used on this Upcountry farm.
Take one of the two tours offered by Oo Farm:
Breakfast and Coffee Tour
The Breakfast and Coffee Tour takes you on a seed-to-cup journey at the farm into how it grows and produces coffee. You’ll get to see coffee plants and learn about growing practices on the farm. Bring plenty of questions. The staff members allow extra time at the end of the tour for answering any questions visitors have.
The breakfast tour includes a multicourse meal based on ingredient availability at the time. However, there is always freshly roasted coffee, which is always in season at the farm. Meals come served family-style, so you don’t have to look over a menu to choose your order. You can sample a little of everything from each of the plates.
A sample menu for the Breakfast and Coffee Tour has included coffee cherry honey buns with preserves from farm-fresh fruit; frittata made with eggs, potatoes, and other vegetables; and two types of salad. Frequently, visitors report this to be the best breakfast of their trip to Hawaii.
Lunch Tour
During the three-hour Lunch Tour, you walk through the farm with a horticulturist, learning about the ways the farm operates and grows food. Depending on the timing, you may have the chance to harvest the fruits, vegetables, or herbs that the chef will use to prepare your lunch.
Like the Breakfast and Coffee Tour, a multicourse meal comes with the Lunch Tour. Cooked by a professional chef, visitors report that it rivals many of the meals they’ve had at fine-dining locations in Hawaii. You sit down to a family-style meal, where all dishes come on communal plates that you share with other tour participants. This way, you can try a little of everything.
Due to the seasonality of fresh produce, the menu can change. One example of a Lunch Tour menu had several dishes. For bread, the chef served focaccia with herbs and leeks baked into it. The salad included fresh greens from the garden and homemade dressing. The entrees included a vegetable course featuring coffee cherry tofu with quinoa and carrots, a fish course with the catch of the day with a Maui sweet onion rub, a chicken course with chicken soaked in allspice coffee brine and pan-seared. Dessert was truffles and fresh fruit. You’ll find out what the chef will prepare during your tour.
Explore a working organic farm on Maui when you take one of the tours at Oo Farm and enjoy a freshly prepared, seasonal meal with your visit.
Insider Tips:
-Bring any drinks that you would like to have with you – beer, wine, champagne, orange juice. The tour only includes water.
-Wear comfortable clothes, closed-toe shoes, and sunscreen for the tour around the farm. Bring a jacket to keep warm in the cool, damp Upcountry climate while outside.
-You must have reservations to take either of the tours.
-Alert staff of any dietary restrictions when placing your reservation for a tour to have your needs accommodated at the meal.