In late 2023 we become the custodians of 30 acres of land in Hakalau, a small unincorporated community located along the Hamakua coast about 15 miles north of Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Conservation:

20 Acres of this beautiful land is conservation easement which we are actively conserving by removing invasive plant species like guava and Albizia trees. We are regenerating the understory by reestablishing native ground covers, herbaceous shrubs and mid canopy trees, where pigs have eroded the top soil of large tracks of land.

Regenerative Agriculture:

On the the other 10 acres, we are putting in stable systems to regenerate the depleted soil (from historical commercial growing of sugarcane and ginger) and working on adding diversity to the existing banana and cocoa tracks. We are introducing cover crops to mitigate for the dense and invasive Guinea grass (Urochloa maxima), introducing a diverse range of tropical fruits, spices and vanilla into an agroforestry system. We are introducing animals such as chickens, cows, goats and ducks to help with recycling nutrients back into the soil.

Education:

This is a culmination of my life’s work and I am honored to share my experience with all who want to learn. This farm will serve as a science based resource and information institute to fellow cocoa and vanilla farmers who wish to farm with more sustainable practices and who wish to find ethical and wholistic practices to better manage their crops and to mitigate for pest and disease pressure.