I recently explored Ka’u, the southernmost district of Hawai‘I’s Big Island, and found unexpected culinary treasures and friendly people who cherish their remote location. Areas of Ka‘u are lush and green and then you have the Ka‘u Desert just around the corner. It’s an incredible juxtaposition of climates. Ka‘u is a hidden gem of unspoiled beauty, rich agriculture, sustainable cattle ranches and fishing. I was moved by the story shared by three dedicated Ka‘u residents.

My first stop in Ka‘u was on South Point Road, which leads to Ka Lae, most commonly referred to as “the most southernmost in the United States.” But more importantly, this is where the sea-faring Polynesians are believed to have landed their sailing canoes first, to discover the Hawaiian Islands.

In Ka Lae, I met with 2007 Paniolo Hall of Fame Hawaiian Cowboy, Thomas Kaniho. Kaniho is 80-years-old, and still works his family ranch, TD Ranch. They raise calves for about eight months, then sell them to a local producer. Kaniho happily shared his stories about his paniolo days.

“Back then, we got paid 50 cents a day for milking cows,” he said. Kaniho starting working when he was in the ninth grade for Parker Ranch and Kahuku Ranch in 1939. “We got paid a dollar a day, received 15 pounds of poi a week, or a 25 pound bag of rice, and free doctor visits as a single young man. The poi came from Waipi‘o Valley and was brought in by the mail car from across the island every Monday. The poi was in a recycled cotton bag and wrapped with fresh ti leaves to keep it cool,” he recalls.

In those days, it took six days to deliver cattle from Ka‘u to the half-way point near Mauna Kea mountain, where the Waimea paniolo met them to take the cattle to Waimea to fatten. After fattening, most of the cattle were shipped from Kawaihae wharf across the channels to Honolulu for slaughter and processing. The mountain range trails they herded the cattle across were treacherous. Most of the time the cowboys had very little sleep and they had to time there trip carefully so that it was not too hot to avoid dehydrating the animals. On these long journeys, a typical meal would be crackers or bread for breakfast, with Ko’olau tea (a Hawaiian herbal tea), and sometimes coffee. For lunch and dinner, the cowboys would have salted or smoked meat that was preserved in pork fat. Fresh sliced onions and Hawaiian chili pepper water accented the meal. Sometimes cabbage, lu‘au leaves and poi were part of the meal. There was no ice back then. Back then, it was grueling work to be a paniolo.

A few miles away at Kuahiwi Ranch, I was greeted by Michelle Galimba, a “cowgirl-come-home” with a Ph.D. in Chinese Literature. After graduating from college on the mainland, Michelle realized her heart was in ranching. In spite of the hard work, she loves being outdoors and learning from the daily challenges of ranching. Her family’s beef, “Aloha ‘Aina Natural Beef,” is a new, high-quality grass and grain-fed beef that is showing up on the finer menus in Hawaii, including the Hualalai Grill. Chef James Abril uses the high-quality beef in steak specials.

My last stop was at a Ka‘u Ice & Fishing Supply in Waiohinu. Ray Shirakawa, whose family owns Shirakawa Motel, is a veteran fisherman of the Ka‘u area for 25 years. His passion for fishing inspired him to open a wholesale fishing business. He sells fresh fish to KTA, a well known, family-owned local grocery chain on the island. Shirakawa also sells his local pupus (appetizers) under KTA Mountain Apple Brand.

“Thanks to KTA, I am able to live my passion as a fisherman and sustain my family and other fishermen,” he said.

Some of Ray’s specialties are dried opelu, teriyaki-seasoned ahi and smoked marlin. I enjoy using the seasoned fish as a topping on a salad and serving it with a light dressing. It is so ono (delicious)! Most locals broil or fry these products at the beach and it pairs well with a nice cold glass of beer.

Ka Lae’s exposed shoreline beckons only the most skilled fishermen, who cast their lines far out, floating them far offshore with inflated black garbage sacks, to lure in offshore species like mahimahi, ahi tuna, ono, bottom fish, and even the occasional marlin! Only in Ka‘u!

Ka‘u takes me back to my younger plantation days as a child. We knew our neighbors and we traded vegetables from our gardens for mangoes from our neighbors. Gestures like this still perpetuate in Ka‘u‘s beautiful communities. As my day came to close, I looked in my ice chest filled with treasures from Ka‘u and I reflected on my adventure to a resilient community and a place that is historical, unspoiled and truly the last frontier of Hawai‘i.