Vaoala Vanilla Blogs — blog

While on my own vanilla journey it has been really interesting for me to learn how many new vanilla growers are not given the proper training or advice on the importance of 'looping' and how to 'loop' vanilla vines correctly! Vanilla has two root systems, aerial and ground roots, and both have an important role to play but the ground roots are the most important! I have been asked by many new vanilla growers from around the world to give my advice on why their vine is sickly looking and not giving lush green leaves like my vines.  When looking at the images they...

I had the privilege of being interviewed for the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), International Women's Day #IWD2023 podcast on (click on link here): Bridging the digital gender gap - Episode 41.   Intro excerpt from IFAD website: Shelley Burich is a community organizer, female empowerment professional and an e-commerce entrepreneur. She is also the only commercial vanilla farmer in all of Samoa. She is passionate about IFAD’s support of women across the island, helping them to become self-reliant through agri-business.    Interview mark: 00:33:21

About me Tālofa lava. That is greetings in Samoan. I’m Shelley Burich. I am an indigenous Samoan, with Chinese & English heritage. I am a Wife, Mother, Nana and have a vanilla farm in the village of Vaoala (pronounced “Vow-ah-lah”), Samoa.  Samoa is a small Polynesian island nation consisting of two main islands, two smaller islands and several uninhabited islands, located in the South Pacific. It has a population of only 200,000 people. Vaoala is located on the island of Upolu. I have great love and affection for vanilla, and that love has turned me into the sole commercial vanilla...

Rachel Petero is the Founder of Rise2025, a global consultancy aiming to reimagine the futures of 100,000 Indigenous women and their whanau by 2025.  She is an Entrepreneur by heart, a HR and Executive Coach by profession, and Waikato-Tainui by whakapapa.  She advocates and drives gender equity, diversity and inclusivity through her leadership roles in governance, business and community development. (Source: "Take Your Space", Jo Cribb & Rachel Petero, 2020) I first met Rachel in 2018 here in Samoa at the Rise2025 Women in Leadership Event...ever since then I have followed and kept her in my reach.  In 2020 I...

The vanilla bean is the Hero in this video from our Growing Vanilla in the Pacific YouTube series.