Farm Internship
Do you want to learn first-hand how to grow tea and vegetables sustainably, beyond organic, with minimal inputs, in a cool Hawaiian climate? Come work on our farm. We encourage you to visit the farm to see what we do, and consider an internship through through the WWOOF Hawaii program, in which we provide room, board and hands-on education in exchange for your time.
If interested, please fill out our online application form. If you are a WWOOF Hawaii member, you can also visit our farm profile.
We are a 2.3 acre family farm at 2500′ (cool nights, warm days). Since 2005, our farm serves as an education model for others in Hawaii, both adults and children. We have tea (Camellia sinensis), some laying hens, and gardens for all our produce. We are vigorously working towards self-sufficiency and real sustainability, using minimal inputs and biochar.
We are a two-family household: one husband and wife in their late 30’s who are the primary farm owners and parents-in-law who are both gardeners and yoga gurus in their mid-60s. We live in a close-knit community of neighbors who are kind and supportive of what we do. We also give back to the community by actively volunteering at school gardens, volunteering at local libraries, teaching origami or raising awareness for backyard food gardens.
Some crops include greens, carrots, potatoes, taro, sweet potatoes, asparagus, citrus, avocado, yacon, green beans, with tomatoes, peppers, corn and soybeans in the summer.
Tasks include weeding, harvesting, tending compost, planting and processing tea, gathering wood, clearing brush, etc. and other optional tasks if you are interested. It’s an opportunity to learn sustainable practices hands-on.
We have an protected, dry area with a large tent for 1 or 2 people, high-speed internet, outdoor hot shower, washer, dryer, and grid electricity. We can feed you vegan if you like; the household is more flexitarian/localvore. There are also a few yoga classes and a wood-fired sauna available every week, and opportunities to get a ride from the farm to Waimea three times a week. We’re looking for 30 hours a week and prefer you to have some previous experience with agriculture.
