KOHALA MOUNTAIN, Hawaii – One year ago, we stood on the windy slopes of Kohala Mountain to film the opening of the Big Island’s only corn maze and pumpkin patch. The annual event is becoming a favorite around Halloween.

At the time, Stacy Hasegawa was excited about the coming season. But a few months later, Hasegawa found herself telling a tale of agricultural disaster.

The failure served as a harsh reminder that the island’s honeybees are facing tough times. We have covered the plight of the pollinators since the arrival of the invasive varroa mite in 2008.

We returned to Kohala Mountain again this weekend (Oct. 5), where Hasegawa has not given up. In fact, from the looks of it, things are bigger than ever… and there are plenty of pumpkins waiting for a good home. We spoke to Hasegawa about how she managed the farm this time around, and how she avoided the same pitfalls she faced last year.