Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF

Taylor Acoustic & Electric Guitars => Taylor Acoustic & Electric Guitars => Topic started by: kilinoecam on June 14, 2020, 09:05:09 PM

Title: koa trees
Post by: kilinoecam on June 14, 2020, 09:05:09 PM
Aloha,  I thought some of the koa fans might be interested in seeing some living koa.  My Sweetie and I are growing a Hawaiian cloud forest that includes koa in the canopy under which we grow tea for black and green tea.  The photos show a a variety of trees: koa are the tallest.  Everything but the grass is less than 20 years old and some of the koa are less than 10.  The koa die in big storms sometimes and I try to save all the bigger trunks (none are that big yet) and when they dry try to do something with them.  I'd like to try making a three piece Strat-style electric guitar. 

More photos to come.  Glad to be in on the forum!
Aloha,
Cam
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: SoCalSurf on June 14, 2020, 09:19:03 PM
Wow, that's really cool to see. Thanks for posting!
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: TaylorGirl on June 15, 2020, 05:51:25 AM
Neat to see where our koa comes from. I have 2 koa Taylors myself. :)
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: homebrw on June 15, 2020, 02:39:23 PM
Thanks for sharing Cam!

Beautiful countryside.

I am a tea nerd too.  I particularly like long jing (Dragonwell) green tea and pu'erh and Assam black tea.  What kind do you grow?

Chris
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: kilinoecam on June 15, 2020, 04:08:41 PM
Thanks for sharing Cam!

Beautiful countryside.

I am a tea nerd too.  I particularly like long jing (Dragonwell) green tea and pu'erh and Assam black tea.  What kind do you grow?

Chris

Mahalo Chris.  It is beautiful, ~3,000 feet up the east slope of Mauna Loa: right where the clouds that come off the ocean hit the land and give us "kawailani" "water from the heavens" of in the form of "kilinoe" (misty rain).  We concentrate on making two "ultra-premium" (think PS series: sells in London for ~6k/kg) whole-pekoe, teas: "`A`a Black Tea" and "Kilinoe Green Tea".  I am just working on creating 360/3D VR tours for our farm so that people can experience immersive tours without having to spend the jet fuel to get here.

Neat to see where our koa comes from. I have 2 koa Taylors myself. :)

Mahalo.  Koa is a beautiful tree and makes an amazing contributor to a forest ecosystem (probably a communication hub among forest plants).  Haven't seen your k24 (I expect it is stunning) but the GS koa you put up a really beautiful.  I'm really impressed by the wood appearance (on-line anyway).  How is it to play?  I'm pretty isolated here on the farm and get to play in a guitar store ~0 times/year.  Aloha,
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: TaylorGirl on June 15, 2020, 06:54:22 PM
The new GS mini Koa Plus sounds wonderful and plays beautifully. A strong voice for a small guitar (I had some other GSM's prior to this one). Nice punchy, well-balanced guitar. Here is the K24ce.

(https://i.imgur.com/r6AFeZwl.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/714Gzesl.jpg)
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: kilinoecam on June 15, 2020, 07:13:41 PM
Hi TaylorGirl,

Wow.  Beautiful k24.  I really like the band of sapwood down the center.  The blend of heart and sapwoods can, as in the case of your guitar, look really pretty.  Mahalo for the GSM insight.  Gotta pick one up the next time I'm the same room.  Thanks again.  Aloha,
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: TaylorGirl on June 15, 2020, 07:40:10 PM
Thank you. Please keep us updated on news from the island....I think you're our first active HI member. :)
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: Frettingflyer on June 16, 2020, 07:46:34 AM
Wow, great pics, and as said above nice to see where all the KOA comes from. I am a fairly recent convert to Koa and am really enjoying it, especially in the 2 BE’s.
I write this as I sit here drinking my tea, Irish breakfast every morning but more varied later in the day. Thank you for sharing your farm and raising these crops for the world.
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: mgap on June 16, 2020, 08:32:28 AM
Thank you. Please keep us updated on news from the island....I think you're our first active HI member. :)


I know that we have at least one more member from the Big Island of Hawaii.  He is from Volcano.
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: kilinoecam on June 16, 2020, 09:31:34 AM
Thank you. Please keep us updated on news from the island....I think you're our first active HI member. :)


I know that we have at least one more member from the Big Island of Hawaii.  He is from Volcano.

  We're neighbors!  I wonder who.  Hope you're having a great day.  Aloha,
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: Marco Polo on June 18, 2020, 04:10:42 PM
Aloha Cam.

Thanks for sharing 'koa in the wild' and for nurturing the environment!
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: kilinoecam on June 18, 2020, 06:16:57 PM
it's my privilege
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: kilinoecam on June 18, 2020, 06:19:50 PM

Sorry!
it's my privilege

THere is a word in Hawaiian: kuleana which is the word I intended to use Kuleana has more to do with responsibility.  It is my responsibility to care for this land for which I am a steward for a while.
Title: Re: koa trees
Post by: quake17 on June 22, 2020, 04:56:37 AM
Beautiful picture, thanks for sharing! Another big koa fan here as well.