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My tree produced two cacao pods and I've made chocolate from them after fermenting, roasting and grinding.
I don't eat sugar so it's just straight cacao with a pinch of pink salt.
The tree now has six new pods so when those are ready I'll go pick some ohelo berries to dry and add for a sweet chocolate.
They were roasted until blackened, but I didn't get a pic of that stage.
#Hawaii
#homegrown

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Raw cacao beans roasted and turned into chocolate.

Eowyn boosted

Daniel Pomarède

@pomarede@mastodon.social · yesterday

NOIRLab image of the week

Kīlauea Eruption Captured by Gemini North CloudCam

Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. Pollard

https://noirlab.edu/public/images/iotw2605a/

#NOIRLab #Gemini #Kilauea #volcano #volcanology #astronomy #astrodon #science #Hawaii #BigIsland #Maunakea

The eruption of Kīlauea on 24 January 2026 was captured here by one of the Cloudcams of Gemini North, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, in Hawai‘i. The International Gemini Observatory is funded in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by NSF NOIRLab.

This was the 41st episodic eruption of Kīlauea since December 2024. The top image captures a gray plume (center) around 11:30 a.m., about 20 minutes after the first eruption, on the morning of 24 January 2026. The middle image captures the residual heat two hours after the eruption ended, and the bottom image captures the subsequent plume two hours later, with the emergence of the clear night sky. Fine ash, tephra, and Pele’s hair from this particular episode landed as far away as Hilo on the eastern side of the island.

Kīlauea is one of five shield volcanoes that constitute the island of Hawai‘i. Gemini North is located on the summit of Maunakea, the tallest point in Hawai‘i, about 27 miles (50 kilometers) northwest of Kīlauea. Staff at the International Gemini Observatory and other Maunakea Observatories have plans in place to respond to these eruptions and minimize their effects on telescopes. This eruption posed no threat to the Maunakea observatories. — The eruption of Kīlauea on 24 January 2026 was captured here by one of the Cloudcams of Gemini North, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, in Hawai‘i. The International Gemini Observatory is funded in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by NSF NOIRLab. This was the 41st episodic eruption of Kīlauea since December 2024. The top image captures a gray plume (center) around 11:30 a.m., about 20 minutes after the first eruption, on the morning of 24 January 2026. The middle image captures the residual heat two hours after the eruption ended, and the bottom image captures the subsequent plume two hours later, with the emergence of the clear night sky. Fine ash, tephra, and Pele’s hair from this particular episode landed as far away as Hilo on the eastern side of the island. Kīlauea is one of five shield volcanoes that constitute the island of Hawai‘i. Gemini North is located on the summit of Maunakea, the tallest point in Hawai‘i, about 27 miles (50 kilometers) northwest of Kīlauea. Staff at the International Gemini Observatory and other Maunakea Observatories have plans in place to respond to these eruptions and minimize their effects on telescopes. This eruption posed no threat to the Maunakea observatories.

www.noirlab.edu

Kīlauea Eruption Captured by Gemini North CloudCam

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spooksolotl

@mk30@regenerate.social · 21 hours ago

The first step in vanilla pod processing is to "kill" the bean via boiling or freezing.

I don't have a freezer, so I decided to submerge in boiled water for 3-5 mins.

Instructions here: https://www.vanillapura.com/blogs/vanilla-extract-making-101/how-to-cure-vanilla-beans-at-home-a-step-by-step-guide
And here: https://www.kingson-foodtech.com/en/a4-11232-16797/The-Journey-of-Vanilla-Beans-Vanilla-Bean-Processing.html

Pic 1: beans in boiled water (not on the flame - just in water that I boiled).
Pic 2: after boiling, I laid them out and dried them with a towel.

#vanilla #plants #food #hawaii #orchids

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Vanilla pods after blanching, laid out on towels

King Son Instrument Tech. Co., Ltd.

Vanilla Bean Processing Journey – From Harvest to Curing Explained

Discover the complete journey of vanilla bean processing, from harvesting green pods and traditional sun-drying fermentation to modern controlled curing. Learn how quality aromatic beans are developed and how automation changes vanilla production. Click to explore the full process now!

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spooksolotl

@mk30@regenerate.social · 21 hours ago

It's vanilla bean harvest day! After growing vanilla vines in various places for various years and finally getting some flowers in a place I could reach (as opposed to high up in a tree), then hand-pollinating them with the right technique, then waiting for the pods to reach full size over a couple months, then letting the pods ripen on the vine for 9 months, they're finally ready to harvest!

I'll be using this thread to track the rest of the process.

So, how did I know when to harvest? According to this blog post: https://vanillery.com/ripe-green-vanilla-pods/ they are ready to harvest when the bottoms are yellow and just starting to crack. I've included pics below showing my pods this morning when I decided to harvest.

Pic 1: yellow on the bottom
Pic 2: yellow on bottom and just starting to split
Pic 3: further splitting, with seeds visible inside. I smelled this one at the place where it was opening, and it smelled fantastic - like vanilla.

Next steps described in next posts...

#vanilla #orchids #plants #hawaii #food

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Green vanilla pods with yellow on the bottom

Vanilla pod that's splitting on the bottom

Vanilla pod with a larger split, with seeds visible inside

The Vanillery of Kaua'i

Ripe Green Vanilla Pods

We are at the peak of the harvest season, and during this time, we are harvesting about a hundred beans out of the vanillery every two to three days. Choosing which beans to take requires some pret…

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Denise Gutzmer

@DeniseGutzmer@mindly.social · 14 hours ago

2025 was Hawai‘i’s second driest, warmest year on record

Hawai‘i experienced its second driest year in more than a century. The state saw persistently above-average temperatures throughout the year, according to the inaugural Hawai‘i Annual Climate Report for 2025.

#Hawaii #drought

https://mauinow.com/2026/02/05/new-report-confirms-2025-was-hawaiis-second-driest-warmest-year-on-record/

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spooksolotl

@mk30@regenerate.social · 21 hours ago

After patting the vanilla pods dry, I wrapped them in towels and packed them in an insulated cooler bag with a hot water bottle, wrapped in more towel.

This is the beginning of the "sweating" stage that lasts 10-14 days. The will spend evenings wrapped up with a hot water bottle in an insulated cooler bag, and they will spend daytime drying in the sun.

See process description here: https://www.kingson-foodtech.com/en/a4-11232-16797/The-Journey-of-Vanilla-Beans-Vanilla-Bean-Processing.html
And here: https://www.vanillapura.com/blogs/vanilla-extract-making-101/how-to-cure-vanilla-beans-at-home-a-step-by-step-guide

Pic 1: I wrapped the pods in their little towels, then packed them in an insulated cooler bag that was lined with a big folded towel.
Pic 2: I put a hot water bottle on top, wrapped it all up in the big towel, and zipped up the cooler bag.

They will stay like this till tomorrow (I'll keep an eye on the water bottle and refill with hot water as necessary), then will set to sun dry during the daytime tomorrow.

#vanilla #orchids #plants #food #hawaii