Meet Palaʻai: Hawaiian squash

Meet Palaʻai: Delicious, Nutritious, and Beautiful

Brighten your plate with heirloom, Hawai’i-grown pumpkin – made easy!

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Sweet and savory, rich in vitamins and nutrients, good for the earth, and delicious in so many versatile ways!

Eating well is easy with recipe-ready palaʻai – farm-fresh and already washed, cut, steamed and frozen – making it simple to use in the kitchen anytime.

Palaʻai in the Kitchen

Is pumpkin a foundational food in your home? This humble crop sustained civilizations for millenia; learn how to make it a culinary staple – from soups and salads to pies and cakes – with our recipe collection.

Pumpkin Recipes

Vegan Kabocha Squash Soup

Enjoy this delicious vegan squash soup made with Kabocha squash and coconut cream.

'Ulu Mousse Frosted Pumpkin Muffins

These decadent and nutritious pumpkin muffins will have your whole 'ohana reaching for more!

Chai Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

Try this creamy treat using locally grown pumpkin and 'ulu flour as a thickener.

Squash: Past to Present

Palaʻai, also known as pumpkin or winter squash, is one of the oldest known crops, originating in the western hemisphere and grown sustainably by Native Americans for thousands of years. Now spread globally, squash is a sustainable favorite, fitting well into the Pacific agroforestry model and is thought to have made its way to Hawaiʻi with Japanese immigrants in the plantation era.

From the three sisters to Pacific agroforestry, palaʻai has always played an important role in sustainable food systems.

Today, our island farmers incorporate squash into their diversified, small farms in a variety of ways – from multi-story agroforests where it serves as a weed-suppressing ground cover to an alley crop between neatly lined rows of ‘ulu trees and big sprawling patches next to other crops.

Learn More About Palaʻai

Squash Nutrition and Health Benefits

Pala'ai (pumpkin or winter squash) is rich in vitamins and nutrients to support eyes, heart, and gut health.

Meet Our Pala'ai Ambassador

Chef Casey supports Hawai'i's agriculture by creating dishes highlighting local ingredients.

Squash Sustainability and Agroforestry

Pala'ai - also known as pumpkin or winter squash - is one of the oldest known crops.

Our Farmers Grow Squash

Our “farmer owned, ‘āina grown” approach enables farmers to focus on farming, while the co-op takes on aggregation, processing and marketing for them – helping to make small, diversified agriculture in Hawaiʻi viable and the islands more food secure.

Meet our farmer – Sweet Treats and Eats

"We want to grow food in an approach that not only sustains the land but heals and improves it."

Owner name: Aileen Lubong & ʻohana
Location: Puna, Hawaiʻi Island
HUC member since: 2020
Farming practices used: Alley cropping, Multi-story agroforestry, Natural farming, Crop rotation, Composting

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Discover Recipe-Ready Palaʻai

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Co-crops like palaʻai support local farmers, regenerative agroforestry, and community health, and reduce Hawaiʻi’s dependence on imported staples. You can contribute in the most delicious way – by eating and cooking with heirloom pumpkin! Let us make it easy for you with our recipe-ready palaʻai.

Find us at your local grocery store!

Looking for where to buy Hawaiian squash & other locally grown ingredients?

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