HAWI — After more than three decades as a prominent voice at National Public Radio, Neal Conan transitioned to life in North Hawaii several years ago. But his distinctive voice can still be heard several times a week on “Pacific News Minute” or “The Conversation” on Hawaii Public Radio.
“We instantly felt comfortable in Hawi, partly because it’s beautiful, but mostly because so many wonderful people made us so welcome,” Conan said.
The former D.C. bureau chief, producer and radio host now has another job: he’s is macadamia nut farmer. More than a novelty, last year his farm produced 26,000 pounds of nuts.
“Mac nuts are not marketed properly. They should be localized like we do wine. This way they could sell for a super premium instead of just a premium,” he said with gusto.
A connection to the community and taking care of the land are most important to Conan these days, a passion he shares with his partner, Gretel Ehrlich, a world-renowned writer and naturalist.
“My priority is to be useful in the world,” he said.
Life in Hawi has allowed them both to slow down.
“My job in Washington D.C. was extremely stressful,” Conan said, sitting comfortably outside Kohala Coffee Mill. “I can be a bit obsessive. Midday Sunday through 4 p.m. Thursday I was either prepping for or doing ‘Talk of the Nation.’ I miss doing the show but not getting ready for it.”
In his new life on the farm, Conan had to make a “two books per week rule” or sleep would have been sparse. To say he is an aficionado of reading is an understatement.
An author himself, in his book, “Play by Play: Baseball, Radio & Life in the Last Chance League,” Conan calls himself a “hemi-semi-demi” celebrity.
“The nice thing about being on the radio is you’re not recognized,” he said.
However, even an occasional listener may turn their head when they hear Conan’s recognizable voice around town.
“Radio is an intimate medium. Though you may be broadcast to millions of people, it is a one-to-one medium,” he said. “It is intimate and you develop a relationship with people.”
A typical day for Conan begins with the rising sun.
“Mornings are slow. For a couple hours I read the news and am out to work on the farm around 7 a.m.,” he said.
There, he spends a few hours a day doing a host of tasks: harvesting the nuts from the ground, fortifying the acidic soil, fertilizing, pruning and maintaining the fence. Most days after lunch Conan researches for “Pacific News Minute,” writes his scripts prior to dinner and sends them off. When not busy reading, writing and farming, he likes to scuba dive, a newfound hobby.
“I’m still just learning,” he said.
Besides being generous and kind, learning still fascinates Conan. Most recently, the conflict in the South China Sea grabbed his attention.
“This began in 1974 with the Battle of the Paracel Islands between China and South Vietnam,” he said.
If given the chance to sit down and speak with any one person, Conan’s first choice would be Xi Jinping. Holding the offices of General Secretary of the Communist Party, President, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, many believe Jinping’s power is on track to rival Mao Zedong.
“I don’t think they give those interviews. However, I would love to gain some understanding of Jinping and how he thinks,” Conan said.
Quoting Admiral Harry Harris, the U.S. military’s top commander in the Pacific, Conan spoke confidently that something will happen there. He has pondered the issue to a depth few people might even imagine. His fascination with China stems from a genuine interest to create greater understanding.
When asked about his legacy and how he would like to be remembered, Conan responded facetiously, “We don’t have any control over that. There’s the hope that once a year people might drape a lei over your statue.”
Jokes aside, Conan contemplated for a moment and then quoted “A Prairie Home Companion” creator Garrison Keillor when he said in a recent interview, “Radio has the permanence of a sand castle. There is no such thing as a legacy and we all know that.”
Conan says he had a great time at NPR and feels very lucky. He concluded by making an analogy to something he knows well and loves – baseball.
“If you are a ball player, most don’t go out with a spot in the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown. Instead, you just hope people enjoyed how you played the game.”