Strength. Majesty. Heritage.

Mauna Loa is a big, big mountain. The name means "long mountain," no doubt because, no matter what angle you see it from, it just seems to go on and on. If you measure from the sea floor, where it really begins, it's over 33,000 feet high.

Hawaiian culture is animistic. In other words, it believes that the land itself is infused with spiritual energy. Also that all creatures arising from the land carry this energy. In this case, a big, big energy.

Mauna Loa is so big that it creates its own weather. By simply obliterating the effect of the moist trade winds, it forms a micro-climate on its lee side—its Kona area.

On this part of the Big Island, sea moisture rises all morning, then almost predictably turns to afternoon soakers. Volcanic soil, Hawaiian sunshine, and a daily wetting. Here we have a marvelous formula for vegetative fertility.

Historians talk about the "Kona field system," a network of small farms in this region. Back in the pre-Captain Cook days, it stretched from Kailua to Kealakekua, 13 miles long and three miles wide. Kamehameha himself had a huge garden here, which people called Kuahewa.

Thousands of Hawaiians once lived on the shores and hillsides surrounding Kealakekua Bay. There were 40 heiau (temples or centers of learning) along this mountainside. Captain Cook "discovered" the Sandwich Islands here. Kamehameha retired here. Hawai'i's roots go down to bedrock here.

And out of that bedrock comes coffee. Kona coffee.