Magical gardens

Our family property has an established 40 year old tangerine grove, an anthurium forest, a few avocado trees here and there, botanical gardens, and lots of wild, tropical jungle. The lot is 35 acres. Our focus is on the nine frontmost acres.

We are about three miles from Pahoa Village. Time seems to hold still there, somewhere in the late 60's. A nice long walk or a short drive into town will put you in the center of a quaint community, complete with locally owned grocers, cafés, cute boutiques, restaurants from casual to fancy, and of course a few beloved watering holes to wet your whistle if you feel so inclined. Town is also where you will find internet, running water, and the coin laundromat. There is a community pool to enjoy as well with a very convenient shower house. Though our property is on rain catchment, we have always found it helpful to bring drinking water back home from one of the coin water refill stations. Just fill up some empty gallon jugs and bring them back with you. However, there are free city water fill stations you are welcome to utilize around the area as well.

We recently started caring for this property. It has been deeply loved these past forty plus years by our Hanai (adopted) mother. Her gardens are something to behold with rare species of rhododendron, orchids, anthurium, hibiscus, and many more spectacular varieties of flora to admire. There's even a giant banyan tree toward the back of the acreage. The night sky is breathtaking. You can see the milky way when the sky is clear of clouds. You can often gather a snack as you explore while walking the land. With all the tropical splendor, however, her home is something to be demolished. It was one of her last wishes to knock her house to the ground as if it had never been built. At the moment, it's an open air structure where wild cats, chickens, random forest animals, and one duck named Ping like to hang out. Nature has been reclaiming it for years. Even as our Hanai Mother was still residing within.

There is so much care needed for Concharis d'Oro. Our dreams are to build little bungalows, a common area, replant food gardens, and bring back some livestock. Goats/sheep used to live fat and happy there. The property isn't left unattended though. Jeff, our caretaker, is a retired carpenter, completely chill, and living his best off-grid, hermit life. He mostly keeps to himself and his doggo friend. Jeff keeps an orderly camp and is easy to work with. Being direct and clear in communication gets things done. I adore him.

A bit about the wild pig situation. Since the recent lava flows, the wild boar have made a mess of things. They are invasive with no natural predators besides humans. If you care to hunt them, that is an option. It is open season all year long on the wild pigs. If you have the proper knowledge to humanly harvest and process them for their meat and products, you are welcome to do so. It's a good opportunity to learn how to make kalua pork. Start your long gun permit research before your trip. It is a process.

If homesteading in a tropical island rainforest has ever intrigued you, with bursts of hard work, this could be fun for you. I am there every few months for about 6 weeks. I love it, this little corner of Pahoa is where the other half of my heart resides. I wish I could come more often and stay much longer. Being able to share this plot of paradise with others of like mind and dreams of conservation has always been a personal fantasy. Such natural abundance is meant to be shared, nurtured and protected.

Jeff is our caretaker. He is on property full time. I am only there every few months. Jeff is old fashioned, old school, flip phone, listens to ball games and The Grateful Dead on the radio and keeps a very orderly camp. He likes things kept clean to keep pests away. The wild cats, mongoose and pigs can be an issue. Direct, honest communication is what Jeff is best with. I adore him.