Lessons Among the Māmaki Leaves

As seen on BeeBoys.org, October 2020

In 2016, when Andrea packed her bags for a vacation on Hawai’i Island, farming was the farthest thing from her mind. An engineer with a masters degree in synthetic materials, Andrea is originally from Mexico, but had been working as an au pair in Victoria, Canada. 

She had a week off from her au pair responsibilities and was looking forward to spending it soaking up some Aloha and meeting a young farmer from California who had been helping her learn English by practicing writing online. Andrea never anticipated that four years later, she would be helping that farmer manage the largest māmaki farm in the state of Hawai’i. 

Today, Andrea is married to the California farmer, Matt Drayer, and the pair have been growing the native Hawaiian plant in Pahala’s scenic Wood Valley Ranch for the past six months. The Drayer’s are the enthusiastic couple behind Ancient Valley Growers, and while living on and managing a māmaki farm is a new venture for them, the plant is as ancient as the island itself. 

All Aloha and No Sting

More than 90 percent of Hawai’i’s native species are endemic, thanks to its geographical isolation in the heart of the Pacific Ocean. Māmaki is no exception.

What makes an endemic plant more remarkable than native plants that are indigenous? While both indigenous and endemic native plants were never introduced to a region by human hands, as they grow there naturally, endemic plants are native to only one region. For the māmaki, that place is the Pacific Islands, including the Hawaiian Islands, the Philippines, Polynesia, and Micronesia. 

The leafy māmaki belongs to the same family as olona and stinging nettles, but unlike its cousins, this small Hawaiian tree is all aloha and no sting. And the various strains of māmaki can grow at all elevations, thriving in wet forests and valleys where they find some welcome shade.

In Hawai’i, farmed māmaki is becoming more prevalent, but it can still be found growing wild on the islands. It also happens to be one of the only native Hawaiian plants well-suited for use in herbal tea preparation. 

“Today, māmaki is used as an herbal tea, but native Hawaiians used it for other medicinal purposes as well,” explains Matt. “Because of their antifungal, antibacterial properties, māmaki berries were used topically for healing a wound. The berries are still used today as a mild laxative.”  

Touted for its healing properties, the ancient Hawaiians regarded the māmaki as a sacred medicinal plant, and every part of the plant served a purpose. The bark was used for making tapa (Hawaiian cloth), while the roots were used in dyes.  

As it was believed to cure many things, including digestive distress, as well as promote blood circulation, māmaki was considered a miracle plant. The Kahuna La’au Lapa’au (traditional Hawaiian medical high priests) prepared māmaki tea by placing fresh māmaki leaves in a gourd calabash, then adding red-hot stones and fresh spring water to heat the tea. 

Today, māmaki still possesses the attributes of a miracle elixir when consumed as a caffeine-free, herbal tisane or even as an energy drink. Possessing anti-microbial properties that inhibit staph infections and anti-viral properties benefiting patients with herpes simplex virus-1 and 2, the tea is also rich in three powerful antioxidants that explain māmaki’s miraculous qualities: Catechins, which aid in combating cell damage and diseases, chlorogenic acid, which helps in lowering high blood pressure, and rutin, which can aid in maintaining a healthy body weight.

From Farm to Table to Farm 

For all its merits, māmaki was not the driving force behind Matt’s move from California to Hawai’i in 2013. A chef for 11 years at farm-to-table restaurants, this partnership with the growers of the food he prepared would eventually inspire him to farm and connect Matt with a dragon fruit grower who invited him to work on his Big Island farm. Matt made the big leap across the Pacific and has been farming ever since. 

For six years, Matt managed the farm, but with its steep slopes and rocky soil, he found it nearly impossible to grow the vegetables he wanted there. When he got the opportunity to work as a consultant at the Māmaki Tea Farm in Wood Valley, Matt didn’t hesitate to seize it. 

Originally a sugarcane field, the land had previously been owned by Bob Romer, a Kona contractor who restored the farm’s home and grew māmaki tea as well. Shortly after arriving on the farm, Wood Valley Ranch management left, and Matt and Andrea stepped up to the plate.   

The couple are quick to rave about the benefits of the Hawaiian plant that they’ve been growing gently for the past six months on the 24.8 acre property, surrounded by Koa trees and pasture.

“Scientists found out how good it is for you, and we now know that the plant has blood clarification properties, helps modulate diabetes, and is great for respiratory health!” Matt exclaims. “Māmaki tea is even being used to treat rat lung worm disease.”

Indeed, a 2011 University of Hawaii publication detailed how Hawaiian māmaki tea can assist with lowering cholesterol levels, balancing blood sugar, addressing gastrointestinal issues, improving liver function, and even fighting fatigue, depression, and insomnia! 

“Māmaki has numerous health benefits. It really is an incredible plant!” asserts Matt.

With all of these benefits, it’s no wonder that māmaki is gaining in popularity. From the founders of Hawaii’s Shaka Tea, which sources māmaki from the farm, to buyers in Japan, Andrea and Matt are excited about being part of a local supply chain connecting to global māmaki demand.  

Plants Helping Plants

“At Ancient Valley Growers, we use the principles of permaculture,” Andrea and Matt concede. Permaculture is permeating the land by companion planting. It uses the patterns and resiliency observed in natural ecosystems. “Every plant has the ability to help another one.”

In the case of māmaki, permaculture offers an alternative to putting plastic mats underneath the plants and spraying them with Roundup. 

“Instead we use a rototill to break up the soil, planting perennial peanuts alongside māmaki. The peanut plants pull nitrogen from the air and distribute it into the tea plants through the peanut roots,” says Matt of the perennial peanuts, which are well-suited for areas where salty ocean breezes constantly blow through. Areas like Pahala, HI.

The perennial peanut plants only reach about two-inches tall and conveniently take up space where weeds may otherwise grow. As nitrogen fixers, the peanuts improve soil fertility, and build symbiosis between soil and the plants growing in it. In addition, the perennial peanut prevents runoff of nutrient-laden water.

“We also use marigolds because their root system discourages root-knot nematodes, which are common pests that cause significant damage to plants,” Matt continues. “Nematodes attach to the root system of plants and eat the nutrients before the plant gets a chance to.” Fortunately, marigolds are effective against nematodes, since the nematode enters the marigold’s roots and becomes trapped there, unable to develop further, which typically kills the pest.

The Drayer’s organic, sustainable farming practices extend beyond companion planting. They’ve also converted a shipping container into a drying room for the freshly-picked māmaki leaves, and all leaves are tested for bacteria before they go to market.   

Once tested and approved, the dried māmaki leaves can be brewed with hot water and consumed like any other tea. Māmaki tea can be enjoyed both hot or chilled, and unlike other teas, māmaki’s bold herbal notes are tamed with a subtle, natural sweetness, so you can skip the cream and sugar! 

“The flavor is like a smoky green tea. Like a Chinese tea, but milder and refreshing. Mamaki tea almost has a creamy aspect, as if there is half and half in it,” is the Drayer’s description when asked to describe the taste of māmaki tea. “Brew it for 24 hours, and it takes on an almost syrupy, dark amber hue.”  

Lessons Among the Māmaki Leaves 

With Matt’s culinary and farming expertise, and Andrea’s engineering background, the future of Ancient Valley Growers is looking bright. 

“For me, being an engineer is about its application to other fields and everyday life, from learning new skills like driving a tractor to building a brand and product,” says Andrea of the unexpected ways her degree has benefited Ancient Valley Growers. Learning is something the Drayer’s are clearly passionate about, as they make future plans to use the Māmaki Tea Farm in Wood Valley as a platform for education. 

The farming community in Pahala extends way back to the sugarcane plantation days. “Families put down their roots here,” Matt points out. “Farming is their whole life, so when the Pahala Sugar Mill pulled out, farmers turned to growing coffee and mac nuts.”

Here at the southernmost point of Hawai’i Island, everyone helps each other out. And as President of Ka’u’s Hawaii Farmers Union United (HFUU), Matt intends to foster that community feel by hosting classes and meetings at Wood Valley Ranch. 

“Andrea and I want to have speakers come here and share their knowledge. Through the Farmers Union, we plan to have various fundraisers, so instructors can come teach farming techniques like permaculture,” is one of Matt’s many plans for encouraging education among the farming community.

As farmers, the Drayers are the first to admit that the process of clearing the land, putting seeds from the mainland in Hawaiian soil - possibly destroying it, and killing endemic plants and microorganisms - is unnatural. That’s why they are investing in the growth of endemic plants like māmaki and other medicinal herbs that will be planted at Wood Valley’s Māmaki Tea Farm in the near future, as well as the creation of educational opportunities.

“We want to bring the farming community together to learn about Korean Natural Farming, as well as a method for burning biological materials down to porous material,” Matt says of educating the community about additional natural approaches to growing fruit, vegetables, and other plants. “When you bury that material and plant a tree in it, that soil holds beneficial microorganisms which water would otherwise wash away.”

Korean Natural Farming (KNF) is another method Andrea and Matt are embracing in hopes that neighboring farms will too. KNF examines the entire farm system holistically, including the individuals in the ecosystem, and is gaining popularity on all the Hawaiian islands. It’s an elegant way to capture the diversity of the forest and bring it to a māmaki farm like the Drayer’s. 

Wondering how to get your hands on a cup of māmaki tea? Bee Boys is proud to offer Ancient Valley Grower’s smooth and sweet, Hawaii Island-grown māmaki tea! It’s all part of efforts to mend the disconnect that exists in understanding our food systems today. 

You can feel good about knowing that your purchase of māmaki tea strengthens the relationship between farmers, beekeepers, and the communities we serve. With every sip, you’re drinking something that is not only delicious, but also packed with health benefits. And you can follow the Drayer’s and see their farm in action on Instagram @ancientvalleygrowers.