(Reuters)
We've seen Oprah on television, heard her on satellite radio, and read about her in O magazine. It was only a matter of time before she turned up on our dinner plates, too.
Shape magazine reports that media mega-mogul Oprah Winfrey is trying out a new business venture: distributing organic produce grown on her Maui property. Partnering with health expert Bob Greene, Winfrey plans to harvest over 100 different crops on 16 acres of farmland near Haleakala, a dormant Hawaiian volcano.
"I grew up with a grandmother who was always growing things — everything that we ate came from our own little one acre, and to be able to have a full circle moment like this, not in Mississippi but in Maui, is fantastic," Winfrey told People magazine.
But though she just announced her plans officially, It seems like Oprah's idea has been in the works for a while. Back in November of 2012, FOX News reported that Winfrey filed trademarks for "Oprah’s Organics," "Oprah’s Harvest," and "Oprah’s Farm," possibly as names for her new brand.
In any case, Winfrey and Greene's ultimate goal is to make locally grown food available in Hawaii, where inhabitants generally get their goods from overseas. "Ninety percent of the produce that's consumed in the Hawaiian islands is actually sent from somewhere else," Greene claims.
"It felt like we were not using the land to its ultimate potential and purpose," added Winfrey.
Greene also explained that the land is already producing crops, and for now, much of it is being given to local Maui restaurants or donated to charitable foundations. "That'll change," he said. "I think we'll start to sell it very soon."
It looks like Oprah's organic produce will be available for purchase in the near future, probably in Hawaii. But if given the chance, would you stock up on Oprah's fruits and veggies?
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