Coffee production in Hawaii

The only state in the United States of America able to grow coffee plants commercially is Hawaii. (However, it is not the only coffee grown on U.S. soil; for example, Puerto Rico has had a coffee industry for some time, although it is not a state but a U.S. territory.Ramiro L. Colon worked in the coffee industry of Puerto Rico since 1925, for example. There are two experimental coffee growing projects taking place in the United States in Santa Barbara, CA and in Georgia.)

Don Francisco de Paula y Marin recorded in his journal dated January 21, 1813, that he had planted coffee seedlings on the island of Oʻahu, but not much is known of the fate of that planting. John Wilkinson, a gardener who came on HMS Blonde in 1825 under Captain Lord Byron, brought coffee plants from Brazil. Governor Boki provided some land in the Mānoa Valley on Oʻahu. However, Wilkinson died in March 1827, and the trees did not thrive. Some cuttings were taken to other areas around Honolulu. Some plants from Manila were also grown by Richard Charlton, the British Consul.

More trees were set out in the Kalihi and Niu valleys near Honolulu, in 1828 or 1829. On the island of Hawaii Rev. Joseph Goodrich tried planting some coffee to make the Hilo mission self-sustaining. Goodrich planted gardens over his 12 years at Hilo, and taught classes for native Hawaiians on cultivation of both for cash to support the mission, as well as vegetables and tropical fruits for their own meals.

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