Four months I started volunteering in a farm, I was feeling frustrated and powerless to see our beautiful island crumble, legacy and livelihoods , business closing because the island wasn’t financially prepared to hold on its own without the help of our Visitors. It so hard to see your friends living the island they though would call forever home, friends losing their families with covid, so many downs, how hard we try to keep the positivity while in shock and trying to cope /survive the best we can and also be there for our clients and what they though their dream day was gonna be.
i fell on my knees spiritually i couldn’t bare to watch in silence and not do something , I realized I had a talent , my passion for plants was growing so put those two together, I searched within my community and this is how I landed at my beloved @hoomakuafarm + @kupaafarms 🌱 . It just the beginnings...
…You know what is my favorite thing about volunteering for farming?… that we are all one. We all treat each other equal we give each other respect well deserve for our love for the land this scared land we got lucky to live in. I see chef’s from top places, the best restaurants in the island come down in their knees and work in this sacred land to bless our community with Love , unlimited love and unconditional ( and I think that’s why it taste so yummy) , much so much needed organic raw food not only for our bodies but also our souls. Priorities first in case of panic food and shelter as long and you have that and the love of your Ohana and community that what really matters. I’ve travel to places to do amazing top workshops to learn what I though believe to be successful and perfection in the craft but little did I know I wouldn’t learn the biggest lessons of my life just around the corner within my community by sharing our humans experiences , love for the world and others too.
A little bit about them :
Ashley Hogue, a former FFA student and graduate of both HDOA’s Produce Safety Program, the FAM Program at UH and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies from California Polytechnic State University, is our gal behind the email confirming CSA inquiries and keeping you in the know with our behind the scenes media.
Together with her little furry friend Mr Fonzy she is Full of smiles and a fierce baker in the kitchen our "wine-weedah"is a party planner - designing events as the co-founder of Bespoke Destination Events in between harvest days and delivery drops. She is also has the the sun glowing in their heart thank u for always sharing your rays of sunshine with our community.
Niles James, a student of Hawaiian oli and 2019 graduate of the Farmers Apprentice Mentorship Program at University of Hawaii Maui is following his generational footsteps with farming roots as the man who keeps us going with planting, harvest, compost, workshops, and tours if youʻd ever like to say hi. “To me farming means my passion for prioritizing nature, matched by my love for community. Soil health should always come first and I live by that mantra!””
For years @kupaafarms has consistently been one of Mauiʻs longest running CSA farms providing hundreds of families with outstanding beauty, unforgettable flavors and a sincere passion to grow local organic produce for our local community. We @hoomakuafarm, ‘a farm within a farm’ now carries on that knowledge of sustainable produce production combined with our enthusiastic crew. We take great pride in our partnership with - and commitment to - our CSA shareholders each season as we continue forward. A sincere investment in the land allows us to produce bountiful harvests of spectacular produce for our members week after week. We owe our gratitude to our amazing CSA members that have supported us for years, you are the backbone of our farm.
We can’t wait to watch this land continue to evolve as we journey onward with your support side by side to feed our community when it needs us most”.
Learn more about how you can help the Maui local community by nominating kind humans for a weekly bag of fresh produce from by Hoomakua here, Giving FOOD nowadays is like GIVING a HUG 🤗🎈, every little kind gesture can touch anybody in many ways. Do you know anybody who could use a Hug?.
Follow Hoomakua to stay in touch and get alerts the next food security giveaway:
“‘The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.’ The life of the land is in our hands and food security in our local community is something we and Kupaa Farm stake very seriously. During our last huli giveaway in the Tin Roof Maui parking lot, we slipped out 700 🌱 to empower others to grow more food”
Fun Fact : Did you knew Most produce loses 30 percent of nutrients three days after harvest?... isn’t it a surprise how quickly fresh produce loses its nutrient value after harvest? Do you know How many Miles does your produce travel? 🤔...University of California studies show that vegetables can lose 15 to 55 percent of vitamin C, for instance, within a week. Do you spend tons of money in extra in vitamins ? Then medical bills For sicknesses due to lack of good nutrition. Google and the library are your best friends food education is good for the body and the mind :)