It would have been tough to hide the silly grin on Barry Ramsey’s face Friday as the 22-year-old cruised down Kumu Street, a free bunch of bananas in tow.
It would have been tough to hide the silly grin on Barry Ramsey’s face Friday as the 22-year-old cruised down Kumu Street, a free bunch of bananas in tow.
“At first, I thought they were selling something,” the Hilo resident said. “But now that I know it’s free, I think it’s really awesome. This makes my day much better.”
It might have been April Fools’ Day, but as Ramsey and the dozens of others lured by a “free bananas” sign propped up facing Kamehameha Avenue midmorning, the fruit freebie was no joke.
Hamakua Springs Country Farms, which announced earlier this year plans to close, gave away 12,000 pounds of bananas from its final harvest Friday — equivalent to 300 boxes or 30,000 individual fruits — as a “thank you” to longtime customers.
“It’s to give back to the people,” owner Richard Ha said. “We just had this opportunity and felt like it was the right thing to do.”
Hamakua Springs made its final deliveries Thursday and timed ripening schedules and harvested in accordance, not realizing the giveaway fell on whimsical April 1.
“It just happened to be April Fools’ Day,” Ha said with a laugh. “Someone said (it was) April Fools’ and I had no idea until I saw it on Facebook.”
The giveaway also was bittersweet. The company is closing after 35 years in business, citing rising oil prices and discovering banana bunchy top virus on the farm, which Ha worried would become a “constant source of infection.” It employed 27 people, and many were longtime employees.
“My main concern is always the workers and how they can adjust and cope,” Ha said. “For us personally it’s something we’re used to. You have mixed feelings but we have other things we like to do well, it’s not the end of the world, that’s for sure. There’s a lot of things I’m involved in.”
Ha told the Tribune-Herald he’s involved with the nonprofit Hawaii Island Energy Cooperative, which is exploring the feasibility of a Big Island-based, member-operated electric utility, according to a co-op brochure. He’s also leasing former banana acreage to raise sweet potatoes and corn for cattle feed.
And the longtime banana farmer is among 14 people vying to open the first medical marijuana dispensaries on the Big Island. License selections will be announced April 15. If selected, Ha plans to employ former banana employees at the cannabis operation, which would be located at the packing house using hydroelectric power.
If he’s not selected, he’s looking at renting the facility out and selling electricity.
“If the jobs are available I have a list of people who are interested,” Ha said.
As for bananas, the surprise freebie seemed to bode well among the community — the company originally brought 100 boxes, which were running dry only minutes after starting.
Ha’s grandson, Kapono Pa, 26, who was helping with the giveaway, said that was a sign of success. He said he enjoyed seeing familiar faces — many of them folks he used to work with weekly when he’d distribute and sell at the farmers market.
“We haven’t been at the market for a couple of years now,” Pa said. “So it’s nice to get to see those faces again and thank everyone one last time.”
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com