An Owner’s Journey From Vacant Land to a Productive Small Farm

Wahi Pana – A Sense of Place

Hawaii Life is honored to have listed 555 Kaukini Loop in The Cliffs at Kahakuloa. Details about this listing can be found by visiting the listing page or reading my previous blog.

Owner

The owner is George Kahumoku Jr, the four-time Grammy award-winning slack key guitarist. Uncle George is also an active farmer and has trained many future farmers initially on his Big Island farm and over the past 20 years at his current property on Maui. Uncle George has invested a considerable amount of sweat and love into this property. Here is a brief summary of his journey with this property that Uncle George shared with me.

It All Begins With Family

When we first purchased this lot, the first thing I planted was a sacred Lauhala tree from a cutting from my Tutu (grandmother) Koko’o’s Red Lauhala tree from Kealia, South Kona from where I was born and my ancestors were raised. I planted it in the most Eastern part of our property.

Intentions

My intention in farming and connecting with the land was to help feed our spirits, mind and body with food raised by the 4 concepts of Ho’oponopono. There 4 concepts are:

1. Aloha -Love, I love you
2. E Kala Mai ( i’au )- please Forgive me
3. E Mihi- I’m Sorry, repentance, remorse
4. Mahalo – being thankful and expressing gratitude for all the blessings we receive

 In addition, my goal was to have people heal and connect with each other and create a community and a sense of peace through sharing food not only for our bellies but also for our spirit and souls and to help heal ourselves, our communities and the world!

 The word Hala in Hawaiian means to pass away, Let Go, move on. It is also the tree of forgiveness! Every morning I get up at 3 am, walk our 5 dogs and meditate under that Hala tree, using the 4 concepts of Ho’oponopono or Healing to heal myself and send blessings to heal our community and others.

Clearing the Land

As I was clearing the land, I would often come late in the evening or early in the morning and I thought I heard the sounds of the boogie man or earthy sounds of grunts, squeaks, and low uttering sounds. I later found out that these were the sounds of the whales almost 1/2 mile away echoing up the valley from the ocean to the top of Kaukini Ridge where I was clearing my aina or land.

A Little Help from My Friends

To help with the clearing of the 2.343 acres, I fenced off sections and used goats, sheep, mini horses and cattle to clear the land!

 Planting

And thus started my indigenous Hawaiian canoe plants of over 80 varieties Kalo, 15 varieties U’ala ( sweet potato) 25 varieties of ti leaf , 6 varieties of coconuts, 8 varieties of papayas, 15 varieties of bananas, 30 varieties of grasses and legumes, as well as 35 varieties of citrus, and cultivating wild guava, lilikoi, mango, mountain apple, 11 varieties of avocados and 3 kinds of spinach. I also planted, carrots, onions, garlic, eggplant, okra, 12 varieties of beans & 15 varieties of heirloom tomatoes and beets and my Haumana or students added edible flowers like Nasturtiums, Kanduai , and we also planted 6 varieties of awa and 4 varieties of Bread fruit and about 15 varieties of Hawaiian medicinal teas and herbs for healing including Mamaki, kokoolau, olena( turmeric & ginger ) a total of over 300 varieties of Fruits veggies, teas and herbs.

We also planted edible animal feed, windbreaks of Panax, Glyceria, gundule beans, as well as parakeet flowers for sale & animal feed.

 It Could Be Yours – Mahalo

If you would be interested in continuing Uncle George’s vision on this wonderful property or know someone that would, please contact me and I would be happy to show you this incredible property. Thank you for reading Uncle George’s journey with this property.