More than a century ago, a Big Island sugar plantation manager introduced macadamia nuts to the island. Today these delicious, hard-shelled nuts, which are high in the “good” fat that helps reduce cholesterol levels, are one of the island’s largest crops. Last year, the Big Island’s 800 macadamia farms produced about 60 million pounds of nuts.

With virtually all of Hawaii’s macadamia nuts coming from the Big Island, the industry has spawned related ventures including processors and product manufacturers, such as candy and cookie companies, and even bed and breakfast accommodations. One way to find out more about the industry is to take a self-guided tour of the orchards, processing plants and candy factories.

Sponsored by the Hawaii Macadamia Nut Association, the tour begins in Hilo at Big Island Candies where visitors can watch nuts being made into cookies and candy. The next stop is Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corp., six miles south of Hilo. The 2,500-acre orchard includes a nut processing plant and chocolate factory and is located on Macadamia Road, off Highway 11. Visitors may also tour the Kona Coast Macadamia Nut and Candy Factory in Honaunau, which also includes a processing plant. The tour continues north to the Hamakua Macadamia Nut Co. in Kawaihae, which specializes in private label products and processes nuts grown on the north end of the island.

Several orchards have established bed and breakfasts on site. Among them are Mac’s Inn Hawaii in Pahoa, Macadamia Meadows in Ka`u and Lions Gate Bed and Breakfast near Honaunau. For more information about the tour, call 965-5444. If you miss the tour, here’s something you need to know: Macadamia nuts are not picked from the tree but are fully ripened when they fall. Don’t worry about bruising. It takes 300 pounds per square inch to crack a macadamia nut shell.