Aqua-culture Farm Start-up
Is our farm a match for you? We hope to spell it out in detail so you can decide for yourself :) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Where is Hilo?
Hilo is located on the eastern side of the Big Island (the "Island of Hawaii"). We are located between two massive volcanoes. For a quick view of the Big Island, check this page:
https://www.lovebigisland.com/destinations-on-big-island/
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--What's it like to live in Hawaii?
We are a small (5 acre) farm on a beautiful hillside with a view of Hilo bay. The elevation here gives us close to perfect weather year round: High temps are in the mid 80's and lows are in the low 60's. The variation throughout the year is only about 5 degrees. (in Celsius: high temps are upper 20's and lows are mid teens, with yearly variation of around 2 degrees.) We love the nice cool temps, although it can occasionally get hot on a sunny afternoon! We also have the wonderful "trade winds" which gives us a consistent and nice breeze.
During the night, typically it will be cool and comfortable. We don't have any air conditioning or heat as neither is needed and our hot water from sunshine! We have been on this farm since the fall of 2021, and while we have made big strides towards our goals, there is still so much to do.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What is our goal?
Our goal is to be a self-sufficient family farm and to share our bounty with friends and neighbors (and volunteers!). We are focused on vegetables, nuts (Macadamia nuts and Cacao) and fruit crops along with protein from eggs, fish and shrimp. Beyond that, we would like to share the methods that we are learning to help build self-sufficiency across the Hawaiian archipelago!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What help do we need?
We hope you can help make progress towards our sustainability goals! We heartily welcome travelers from overseas as part of an international cultural exchange.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Schedule ?
You will be responsible for creating your own schedule in coordination with other volunteers. As a group, you can choose your days off and enjoy a flexible schedule! Seasonality, weather and where you want to go during your free time will all play a part. We hope that all volunteers can be harmonious and come together as a team. Note that there are special days which we may ask for your participation (like "Mulch First Saturday" and "Mulch Second Wednesday" (both are only once a month)).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dates ?
We have found that bracketed dates work best for you, our volunteers. Fun in the islands starts with being together, and that's hard to do with people coming and going mid-way through each other's time here.
We usually have a full house (total 6 volunteers) and you guys tend to take a "3-4 day weekend" to travel around the island and see the sights. So when someone is scheduled to leave midway through the week, such plans get interrupted and it's just less fun. In an effort to mitigate that, we propose a more consistent arrival date - departure date schedule.
So, with a few exceptions, we are adopting the below "arrival & departure" plan:
Arrivals: 1st and 16th
Departures: 15th, 31st*
(* end of the month - 30th for April, June, September, November, 28/29 for February).
So, whether you are planning on staying for 2 weeks, 4 weeks or 6 weeks, please come on the 1st of the month or the 15th.
And your departure date would be either the end of the month or the 15th.
Also, please plan your flights to allow you to arrive/depart on the farm on those days (for example, you may need to depart from your country one or two days earlier, depending on where you are flying from).
This "arrival & departure" plan may sound like it does not fit your schedule, but the experience we have had with many many volunteers over the years, having a consistent schedule works best (for us and YOU).
Of course, we encourage you to "shop around" for the least expensive travel dates, and that does not always correspond with the dates we have outlined. To that end, we encourage you to consider spending a few days on Oahu (Honolulu) or any of the other Hawaiian islands. That should help you to target the best "low cost" dates for flying.
You might also consider staying overnight in your arrival city (e.g. Seattle or New York etc) if flying in from overseas).
BEST PLAN -- given the current cheaper cost of flights to Kona (Hawaii) and the general availability of hostels there, we encourage you to always check prices going to Kona.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Groceries ?
We plan to pick you up in Hilo and, on the way back to the farm, take you to the grocery store. This ensures that you won't "go hungry" soon after your arrival. There is a very small grocery store that you can walk to from the farm, but its offerings are very limited. We recommend and will plan to take you to Safeway which is the largest grocery store in Hilo.
The location of Safeway in Hilo, Hawaii
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jpLsFQGdg3TcPUk78
If you are already staying overnight in Hilo and have transportation, then we will can also meet you at Safeway after you have completed your grocery shopping. If that is your plan, please coordinate this in advance with us.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team ?
We have found that a group of friendly volunteers has the most fun. And we are all about having fun! That fun extends to volunteers sharing meals, playing games, traveling around the island together, doing fun activities like snorkeling at the beach or hiking around the volcano or going shopping. As such, we are looking for "team players" who are happy in that type of environment. If you are looking for a more "independent" and "solo" experience, then this is probably not the place for you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Transportation
Public transportation on the big island of Hawaii is limited to the local bus. It's clean, it's roomy and it's free! (until 2026). The nearest bus stop is 2.9 miles (4.6 km) down the road. While it's possible to give you a lift (if we are going to town), we might not be able to take everyone (which is no fun). So embrace the joy of walking! In summary, getting to/from town and other areas of the island is your responsibility. Uber and similar apps can pick you up, and many volunteers have rented a car (which also seems to work best as a group).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elevation, volcanoes?
We are at about 1200 feet (365 m), on the slopes of Mauna Loa with an amazing view of Mauna Kea! These are two of the largest volcanoes in the world! But not to worry!... the volcanoes in Hawaii are not the "explosive" type that get all the press. Actually, Kilauea volcano (part of Mauna Loa) has been continuously erupting in one form or another since 1983. In Hawaii, volcanoes are much more of a "tourist attraction" than something ominous.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chocolate?
We have one small cacao tree producing a lot of cacao pods and 60+ smaller trees growing in our "cacao forest". Our goal is to have lots of yummy cacao for making chocolate, cocoa treats and other yummy things! It's our newest addition to the farm, but we are going big with it!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ponds?
Yes. We have excavated several ponds for aqua farming. Three are quite large, and there are many smaller “support” ponds. Why so many ponds? Well, one of our best natural resources here in Hilo is the abundant rainfall. Combined with the warm climate we have the perfect location for growing a multitude of fish like tilapia, Pacu and catfish! We are also looking into raising prawns (a.k.a. "shrimp"). Edible water plants are also part of the plan including lotus root (and seeds), water cress and water spinach.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How secluded is our farm?
Not very. We are only a few miles from the smallish city of Hilo, and getting to town is quite easy (compared to most places on this island). Our farm is in a mixed residential-agriculture zone. The area is basically typical a "suburban" zone with small farms mixed in.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How many volunteers are currently at the farm?
We have two bedrooms available with three beds in each room, so our capacity is 6 volunteers. We are happy to discuss who will be here in detail with you. We also welcome couples, and paired travelers. And solo travelers too of course.
In that you will likely have a roommate, our policy is to only match females with a female roommate (and males with a male roommate). The exception to this policy is if you and your roommate agree, prior to arrival, to stay together in the same room. So, if you are traveling as a male-female couple, then of course you can stay in the same room. Likewise, friends or siblings can stay together.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What kind of food is provided?
Meals are not provided. We are happy to share the organic fruits and vegetables when we have a surplus. We continue to ramp up production there, but there is some seasonality (even in Hawaii) so many items are not continuously available. *2025 note: we are moving our raised beds to the new "agricultural zone" so vegetable availability will be more limited. The good news is that our banana grove (in the "food forest" is approaching a constant (year round) supply!)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Activities and weather
The weather typically has the biggest influence over our schedule. Hilo can be anything from hot and sunny to cool and rainy. Cloudy with an occasional sprinkle is probably the most common weather pattern (which is quite nice for working outside!). Usually the best time of the day to help is in the morning, and we are usually out doing projects early if it's going to be a hot day. The mornings are cooler and the skies tend to be clearer.
In Hawaii, the temperatures don't vary much, but there is seasonality. December through March is the "wet" season and April through November is the "dry" season. That being said, we can have no rain for weeks during the "wet" season, and it can rain every day for weeks during the "dry" season. Yea, crazy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What type of projects will we be doing?
Currently we have quite a few projects in play. Most notable of these are the creation of aqua-farming ponds. And although that sounds like it would involve a lot of digging, actually all the ponds are mostly dug out. What's left to do is to smooth out the rough shape of the pond, remove copious amounts of small to medium lava rocks, and get it all level. Other activities can include planting trees, bushes and plants, clearing & prepping flower beds, weeding, grading pathways, farm chores, etc.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Will this be a challenge?
That really depends on you. We have had former Olympic athletes, gymnasts, marathon runners, mountain climbers etc, and life on the farm was a breeze for them. We've also had volunteers who prefer to spend their days on the sofa (a.k.a. "couch potato"), and life on the farm was quite an eye opener. For most people, this will be a challenge. Life in the modern world is very far from the reality of growing your own food. Growing food not only requires knowledge, but it requires activity. If you are looking for more of a "couch potato" gig, then you might want to look elsewhere. But if you truly want to know what it takes to be a sustainable, self-sufficient food grower, we would be happy to provide you with that opportunity.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What kind of clothing is recommended?
Believe it or not, when doing projects outdoors, we wear long sleeves and pants with boots and gloves. What you wear is up to you as long as you can stay safe and participate in the activity being done. We do strongly recommend wearing a hat and being mindful of sunburn.
During free time, afternoons can be warm so "warm-weather clothes" are a good idea. At night it's usually cool, so you might bring a light jacket. It would also be a good idea to bring a rain jacket and an umbrella if you wish. We have a few pair of rubber boots which you are welcome to wear while in the garden. Of course, we encourage you to bring your own as well.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How are the bugs?
Unlike many places in Hawaii, we have very few mosquitoes. Likewise, there are few other creepy-crawlies. There are innumerable fruit-flies, so keeping the kitchen clean is a big deal.
The tiny one insect we do have to worry a bit about is the "LFA" ... the infamous "little fire ant". It's incredibly small (as small as a grain of salt) but it can give a good jab. Typically, the ants don't “attack” but rather sting when they fall on you. The ants travel in search of food and they don't have the best footing so can fall from tree branches etc. Best way to avoid the little buggers is to notice if there are ants around you (i.e. in a bush/tree) and avoid banging into the branches. Also, be mindful of where you put your hat, gloves or jacket. If you have any other bug concerns, please feel free to ask! If you've read everything to this point, you are awesome! And to show us just how awesome you are, find the color clue below and reply with the opposite color!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How's the wifi?
We have excellent WiFi near all the buildings. Typically we get 200Mbps download and 10Mbps up (the system can easily handle multiple devices streaming HD videos, video conferencing, face-time and gaming ).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How's the cell service?
There is good cell service everywhere on the farm.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How long can I/we stay?
We accept volunteers for between 2 and 6 weeks. If you are unsure about living on a farm, we recommend a 2 week stay. If you are super excited about learning sustainability and making an impact on an aqua-farming and cacao orchard slice of paradise, feel free to apply for a longer stay!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What are the accommodation like?
The volunteer area is in the "club house" which is a two story building (the first floor is part work-shop space and part storage). This is your own space to hang out and is separate from the main house where we live.
Volunteer bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen and dining area are on the top floor of the club house, and there is also a huge "game room" with a big screen TV, ping-pong table, sports equipment, etc.
The volunteer kitchen has a new (and large!) fridge and freezer, a two burner gas stove, a microwave, sink, etc. We ask that you clean up your kitchen after every use. The bedrooms are have a large modern window with curtains. The bed, pillow and sheets are clean. The bathroom is a "shared" space with our son (he is 22 years old), so please take that into consideration. The hot water system is erratic, but we have a solar hot water system in the main house (guest bathroom) and you are welcome to use that. Getting hot water from sunshine is weather dependent, so please keep that in mind.
All volunteers are required to keep their area clean and follow the "cleaning pledge"... which is "keep the area cleaner than you found it". Basically, that means cleaning up after yourself. If everyone contributes to keeping the space just a bit cleaner than it was when they used it, then it will always be clean for all volunteers to use. Note: cleaning your personal area, like meal preparation etc, is not part of the hours you contribute to the farm (which should be obvious!).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do you wear shoes in the house?
No. But we do wear slippers which are only for indoors only. We encourage you to bring a pair of slippers or a least a clean pair of flip-flops that you only wear inside. In Hawaii, it's very common to remove shoes when going inside. We think, especially on a farm, that wearing outdoor shoes inside is crazy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do you have a dog?
Yes, we have a dog, and while he wants to come inside and play, we kindly ask you to shoo the him outside if he barges into your party. Why? Put simply, some people are allergic to pet dander and we wish to keep the volunteer's area clean.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Would there be an ongoing employment possibility?
We are a simple family farm, not a commercial business. We have no plans for any employment possibility here.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Smoking, drug usage?
We kindly ask for non-smokers and non-users only.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What are we growing?
We have only been on this land for a few years, so many things are still young and growing, but here's a partial list: bananas, papaya, lemon grass, sweet potato, citrus (lemon, limes, orange, tangerine), cacao, guava, Brazilian cherry, Achacha, curry leaf, tomatoes, cabbage, bush beans, ube, shiso, spinach, lettuce (multiple varieties), corn, herbs, broccoli, cauliflower, avocado, strawberries, grapefruit, lilikoi (passion fruit), yacon, raspberries, blackberries, eggplant, peppers (spicy and mild), etc~! Most all fruit/veg/nuts/etc are seasonal.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What foods are we self-sufficient in?
Self-sufficiency will certainly take some time! While we are making good progress, we are quite far from our goals. Nevertheless, we believe we are self-sufficient in: bananas, lemons, limes, tomatoes, lettuce, some herbs, lemon grass, spinach, basil, peppers (spicy), papaya, and eggs.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Water
Hilo has some of the best water in the country. It's right out of the volcano and they say it takes 10,000 years for it to filter through. Bring a large thermos/water bottle and enjoy!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Soda, bottled water, etc
We are trying to eliminate single use cans and bottles (especially plastic) from our farm. Plastic bags are mostly banned in Hawaii and we try to recycle as much as possible.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recycling?
Yes. We are a 100% no-organic-waste farm. In addition, we recycle all glass and metal, and as much plastic as we can. It's a bit more effort, but we believe that it is our responsibility to act in an environmentally friendly manner. We also believe in doing our part to stem climate change. And one of the biggest impacts we can make is to not send organic waste to the landfill where it breaks down and produces methane gas.
All of our kitchen scraps go into a specially designed bin (outside) which is the perfect habitat for black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens). The larvae of these flies eats all the scraps and turns it into fantastic compost. This process also greatly reduces methane, which is a powerful greenhouse-gas (really bad for climate change).
We request that you join us in our pledge to never send organic waste to the landfill!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Animals
Other than the dog, we have around 3 dozen plus sheep and 4 hens. The sheep basically keep the back pasture well groomed, the hens give us eggs. We also have ducks are coming in the future! It's a small farm but we're still expanding.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How do the sheep contribute to the farm?
Sheep poop is something we are utilizing for “cold manure”. It's an excellent fertilizer due to it's high potassium and balanced nitrogen. One project we have is to substantially improve our collection of the “magic pellets”, but that project is quite a ways off. Currently we can collect around 20 (dry) gallons per month. Wow, you are such a fantastic reader! Please be sure to put the word "purple" in your application, so we know what an outstanding reader you are!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Qualifications & Requirements
We require that you agree to the terms as detailed here and in our "guidelines". Also, we request that you fill out the questioner (part of your application) and that your profile is up to date and complete. We receive a lot of applications and the number one reason why we do not accept candidates is because of an incomplete profile.
Matching your schedule to our "arrival & departure" plan is also very important (see above)
For groups:
If you are applying as a group (a couple or as a group of friends), each individual must be a Worldpackers member and have their own profile. Each profile must be complete (same as any individual's profile... see above).
Worldpackers provides a way "link" your profiles so that you can apply as a group. If you need assistance in setting up your "group account", please contact Worldpacker's customer support.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Experience
No experience required!
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Pre-Confirmation
Our policy is to accept applications for a space until it is confirmed.
What does this mean for you? Well, if you receive a "pre-approval" message from us, that means that the space is open as of the time we sent the pre-approval message.
However, it is not a guarantee that the spot will not be claimed by another applicant. It is up to you, the applicant, to confirm the pre-approval to save your spot.
We follow the premise of "first-come-first-served". This applies not only to your confirmation via Worldpacker, but also your registration on Lilikoi (more about that later).
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Flights to Hilo
We request that you share your arrival flight information so that we can plan for your airport pickup. All volunteers should have their flight details a minimum of 3 weeks prior to their arrival. We reserve the right to cancel your stay if you have not made travel arrangements in a timely manner.
Airport pick-up and drop-off times are from 7am to 7 pm. Please arrange your arrival and departure times accordingly.
We recommend using Kayak Flights ( https://www.kayak.com/flights ) to check flight prices. If there are other international airports in your area, you might try looking at prices from those departure points. Also, be sure to check prices to Honolulu and to Kona! Many times a round-trip ticket to Kona or Honolulu is much cheaper than a round-trip ticket to Hilo.
From Honolulu to Hilo is quite easy. Usually the tickets are fairly inexpensive. We recommend checking:
Hawaiian Airlines ( https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/book/flights )
and
Southwest Airlines ( https://www.southwest.com/air/booking/index.html )
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Recommended Route
Recently, flights to Kona are getting much cheaper, so this has become our recommended arrival point. Kona is on the other side of this island, about 2 hours away. If you fly into Kona, then you will need to take the bus to Hilo (or arrange other transportation). The bus is FREE (until 2026).
Depending on the bus route, it takes from 2 to 4 hours to reach Hilo. IMPORTANT: you must arrive in Hilo before 7pm if you would like us to pick you up at the bus terminal. If you are unable to arrive before that time, you would need to stay in a hostel in Kona or Hilo overnight.
We encourage you to stay in Kona and take the late morning or early afternoon bus to Hilo. The trip has magnificent views of the two massive volcanoes which dominate the Big Island!
Lastly, by staying in Kona, you will have time to relax after your long travel. We strongly encourage all Worldpackers to look into using Kona as your gateway. You will be glad you did!
Bus schedules can be found on Google maps. Feel free to ask if you need any help!
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Post Confirmation & Lilikoi
After you have confirmed we will check your dates and then send you a link to "Lilikoi". It's a simple web page which helps us to help you with your travel to Hawaii and connect with other volunteers who will be here during your stay.
We will review information on transportation, pickup locations, general information about Hawaii and Hilo as requested. If you have any questions on the amazing sights and popular places to go here on the Big Island, please let us know!
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Upon Arrival
We will pick you up at the Hilo bus terminal (if you are coming in from Kona). If you are flying into the Hilo airport, we can pick you up there. And if you are staying in Hilo, we can pick you up in town. If you are staying elsewhere on the island, please arrange your own transportation to the bus Hilo bus terminal or the airport where we will pick you up.
On the way back to the farm, we typically stop at a supermarket to pickup groceries. If you are already in town, we can pick you up from the supermarket if you wish. We recommend shopping at Safeway (the largest grocery store in Hilo).
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Cell phone SIM and E-SIM
Airalo is a popular "e-sim". Airalo lets you choose the amount of Data that you want (in GB) and the duration of your service (1 week, 2 weeks, etc).
https://www.airalo.com/united-states-esim
T-Mobile (a cellular company) also has e-sim and regular sim cards available.
https://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone/t-mobile-sim-card
And there is a T-Mobile store in Hilo
https://www.t-mobile.com/store-locator/hi/hilo/waiakea-center
In the short term, Airalo might be your best bet. For longer term, T-Mobile might work better.
:)
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Updates
One of our goals on the farm is Kaizen (改善), which roughly translates to "continuous improvement". As such, we update the information on this page as part of that process. We ask that you please keep that in mind.
We are a multi-cultural family leaning to the Asian side of things (food, customs, languages). We are still in the early stages of our “self-sufficiency start-up farm”, but we've made some great progress so far! We work hard but also enjoy the beautiful and comfortable environment in Hilo, Hawaii.
In an effort to help our volunteers with travel planning, we will attempt to answer every application within 24 hours :)
We speak:
English
ភាសាខ្មែរស្ទាត់ជំនាញ
ペラペラ日本語
un peu de langue française