Best Kava
 

We feel a bit biased in saying that we have the best kava, but really, it's true! After taking that into consideration, just like the happy parent who thinks that their child is the most beautiful child in the world, maybe we feel that way about our kava as well. But, honestly, it's for good reason.

We are here because that is our passion: to grow the best kava you can find anywhere! It's all we do here at the farm, besides make chocolate, and grow and import the best Hoodia we could find anywhere in the world. We don't farm our fields every day because we want to cash in on the latest trend; we have been doing what we've been doing for generations, simply because, to us, it enhances our lives in ways we could never explain.

When it comes to taste, opinions differ on what makes the best kava: most people prefer kava that is smoother and sweeter than the original strain from the Vanuatu archipelago, but some adventurous souls actually relish Vanuatu's strong-tasting, resinous brew. For those in the majority who prefer a sweeter strain, gentle Hawaiian Mahakea kava like the kind we grow on the farm is often considered the best. Tongan white kava is also becoming popular for having a light taste without skimping on the effects.

And that's really the main point of kava, isn't it? You want to find a kava brew that provides effective relaxing* and stress reducing* effects without making your tongue curl. Again, in that regard we believe Kona Kava Farm truly ranks up there as some of the world's best kava.

What makes our kava so good? To begin with, our farm's location in the Hualalai mountains just outside Kona, Hawaii, is blessed with the ideal microclimate and fertile volcanic soil to encourage the growth of kava that's abundant in kavalactones and other desirable constituents. We're also committed to organic farming techniques that avoid the use of harsh pesticides or chemical fertilizers, both of which may degrade the kavalactone content of crops raised using these artificial methods. Finally, our kava products are made using 90% lateral roots, the part of the kava root known to be richest in kavalactones. Because our lateral roots are sun dried, they actually taste quite sweet compared to most kava out there!

Purists may hold the opinion that the best kava is that prepared from fresh root, and to an extent this is true; however, we know that for most people outside of the South Pacific, fresh kava root is almost impossible to obtain. Dried or powdered kava root can still provide a rewarding experience, as long as you're prepared to do a little vendor research: look for brands that display organic certifications and utilize mainly the lateral root in their products, as the lateral roots are the part of the kava plant that is densest in kavalactones. Always buy only from vendors who guarantee that their products are made using only the kava root, never the stems or leaves.

Yes, there are more and more places to get your kava from, especially with so many online stores, but look at their sites, look to who is growing the kava, and see if there is a family-run farm who relies on organic fertilizers and the sunshine, rather than chemicals in some greenhouse or in a factory somewhere. We will always believe that the love that goes into a plant is rewarded ten-fold in the end, and the difference is tangible.