Subsistence Farming - Hawaii

1- INFRASTRUCTURE

• Pond House (new ferro cement building w/barrel vault roof- our main living space)
  • make form for plastering the gable edge
  • dig footings for reflecting pond/catchment
  • dig footings for entry
  • pour last (3rd) layer of concrete on the barrel vaults and apply water proofing
  • plaster/burnish interior and exterior surfaces
  • continue building rock retaining wall between pond and building
  • decide on design for wood burning stove/oven and build
  • decide on design for alcohol burning stove and build

• Barn (standing dead or recycled ohia posts w/recycled metal roofing)
  • organize new barn area (pare down)
  • dismantle remaining section of old barn (pare down)
  • complete last three sections of barn
  • move salvaged plywood and redwood lumber undercover at school room eaves

• Drying Area/Shower/Greenhouse
  • organize linens/clothing into containers
  • design ohia/paper bark post and w/lexan roofing structure

• Intern Area
  • plant vetiver grass barrier surrounding intern garden (to keep out chickens)
  • plant more pineapple, ginger, turmeric, perennial greens
  • plant coffee understory
  • cut down wili wili trees at entry where carport used to be

2- LAND

• Nursery
  • up pot peach palm, coffee, key lime,
  • plant in flats: african oil palm, american oil palm, chilean wine palm, neem, moringa, jabotikaba, brazilian cherry, pigeon pea, acerola, kapok,
  • starts for intern kitchen garden (perennial cilantro, eggplant, okra, cherry tomato, marigold, pepper varieties, basil, dill, parsley, fennel, beans,
  • starts for crops (peanuts, sunflowers, cassava…)
  • make cuttings of collards and root in cinder pile
  • make cuttings of sweet potato, root and plant in cinder pile
  • propagate cardamom, various bamboo varieties, mulberry, chaya, begonia, garlic chives, gotu kola, taro,

• Orchards
  • lay weed mat over patches of cane grass in orchard areas
  • plant banana kekei’s on north of each fruit/nut tree for water supply…
  • clear to drip line around each fruit/nut tree, design and plant individual guilds (including perennial peanut or sun hemp as nitrogen-fixing)
  • add cinder to any rough lava areas
  • harvest cacao and ferment (save some for nursery starts)
  • harvest coffee and dry, roast
  • broadcast hawaiian pumpkin, chaya in young orchards for weed control
  • weed spice tree orchard

• Garden
  • design and layout raised keyhole garden around pond
  • relocate wing bean, lab lab bean, long bean and tropical lima bean trellises

• Lawns/Pond
  • weed perennial peanut (esp. around taro and pineapple patches)
  • cinder to smooth out area around pond
  • plant acai palms around pond and pond house for 40% canopy cover
  • source water plants (wasabi, lotus, kang kong, water chestnut, reeds)

• Jungle
  • clear of weed trees the area along drive for guadua bamboo (timber) orchard

• Bamboo
  • weed all varieties of bamboo at border

• Pastures
  • build new (pallet) gate at upper (fallow) goat pasture
  • slowly replace wili wili fence posts (gall wasp damaged) with jakfruit, avocado, peach palm… seedlings

3- MISCELLANEOUS

• move ferro cement hot tub to area behind pond house and hook up chofu wood burning stove
• break down old pallets and store for firewood
• continue to work on farm map using aerial photo and GPS to plot trees
• continue to work on seasonal mandalla
• make more beeswax/kukui nut paste for sealing wood furniture
• set up aerobic composting system (try moringa) w/foliar sprayer
• create vehicle turnaround at carport
• experiment with sand water filter system
• find: pressure tank bladders, bike trailer,
• find seed/cutting source for:
• research: flywheel powered shop tool, pedal powered shop tool, sterling motor refrigeration, direct solar refrigeration, hydrogen fuel, high speed internet/phone options,
• create tropical medicinal plant database

4- ENTERPRISES

• read literature on how to operate still (essential oils, hydrosol, alcohol fuel, tinctures…)
• experiment: harvest and dry variety nuts (malabar chestnut, peach palm, jakfruit seeds…) , starches (cassava, breadfruit, yam…) and test with mill to make flour
• design aluminum bee hives/frames to eliminate problem with wood rotting
• build system to convert wood ashes to lye for soap making
• design and build bamboo and thatch structure for hot tub
• experiment: making charcoal from variety of woods (coconut husks, guava, pallets…)
• experiment: oil for lamp fuel, cooking, soap making, base for medicinals with variety of nuts/seeds (coconut, kukui, macnut…) using expeller press
• design and build solar dehydrator w/backup heat (wood)
• define and create backyard medicine cabinet (tinctures, salves….)

5- FUTURE (considerations)

• Land Lease (2.5 Acre 30+ year)
• define our needs
• explore contracts