In honor of its illustrious milestone, Grove Farm commissioned an anniversary book to celebrate its role in Hawaiian sugar history. “Grove Farm, Kaua‘i – 150 Years of Stewardship and Innovation” will soon be available for sale at online book retailers such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Written by Jan W. TenBruggencate, the book documents Grove Farm’s humble beginnings and shares touching personal perspectives through the memories of past employees as well as those whose lives were influenced by plantation life.
The book chronicles the pivotal role agriculture played in Hawai‘i’s history and also documents the innovation and challenges facing a longtime kama‘aina company over tumultuous decades of change.
The Grove Farm of 150 years ago is very different from today’s Grove Farm, and yet in many ways it is very familiar.
Grove Farm went from a big plantation owned entirely by a single individual – George Norton Wilcox – to a Wilcox family-held corporation, to a more widely-held corporation that included non-family members and today, is back to ownership by one man – this time Steve Case.
Today, Grove Farm’s innovative initiatives in community building, ecological restoration, preservation of habitats, diversified agriculture and renewable energy continue to lead Kaua‘i in much the same way that Wilcox did. In addition, a well-funded Grove Farm Foundation serves the community. Grove Farm employees selflessly volunteer hundreds of hours each year to serving community organizations and the company leads many community-wide efforts for the benefit of Kaua‘i.
Grove Farm is a company founded on innovation, and it actively continues its tradition of stewardship today. The company is engaged in cutting-edge technologies for food and agricultural production. It is developing subdivisions and building housing for today’s families.
Grove Farm’s goal is to continue the legacy of innovation, collaboration, sustainability and giving to make our beloved Kaua‘i a better place.
Grove Farm is donating two copies of its anniversary book to every public school around the State. A copy will also be provided to each State library branch throughout Hawaii. Anyone with questions regarding “Grove Farm, Kaua‘i – 150 Years of Innovation and Stewardship” is invited to contact Grove Farm at (808) 245-3678 or via e-mail at info@grovefarm.com.
