At build-out, ‘Ōuli intends to add 200+ acres of food producing farm crops to the Island of Hawai‘i. The community plan calls for 142 farm/home lots; each lot will include at least one acre of planted farm crops. The community will also use farm crops to replace traditional landscaping along roadways and in common areas (approximately 20 acres). There will be a community garden of some 3 acres to provide fresh produce to the community’s restaurants and a 30-acre community farm which will include 4 acres of greenhouses offering advanced technology in water conservation, aquaculture, and environmental controls, and a 4-acre irrigation reservoir.
Within the 30-acre community farm, some 20 acres will be set aside for the purpose of providing plots to farmers who are caring for the farm/home lots and farm crops around the community. These plots will be offered to the farmers at a minimal lease rent while they are employed at ‘Ōuli and after a designated number of years the employee will be able to engage in a long-term lease. Within these plots the farmers will be allowed to grow crops for their own use and benefit.
Among the crops under consideration by ‘Ōuli are: avocado, mango, citrus, dragon fruit, coffee, papaya, and other specialty crops; natives, such as ‘ulu, maia, kalo, ‘uala, kō, pala‘ai, koai‘a, ‘iliahi, a‘ali‘i, and other dryland crops; and the greenhouses would produce truck crops, such as greens and tomatoes.
‘Ōuli will seek to partner with agricultural organizations and the University of Hawai‘i to add to the island’s resources and food production.
‘Ōuli’s farm effort will add substantially to the island’s food supply and help to meet sustainability goals set by County and State governments. ‘Ōuli envisions distributing the crops it grows via food hubs and other locally based organizations. Crops will be distributed on Hawai‘i Island first and then the outer islands to support all residents of Hawai‘i.
As ‘Ōuli Farms grows, it will provide steady, long-term employment in the arenas of farming, hospitality, construction, maintenance, and management. It is currently establishing a management team, the first level of staffing, with people who all have extensive Hawai‘i experience and have lived in Hawai‘i most, if not all their lives. The team will gradually increase as the community grows and at the end of the next decade ‘Ōuli expects to have 150 team members on staff. In addition, local contractors and businesses will be retained to support ongoing operations and maintenance.
‘Ōuli is committed to preserving the cultural history of its property and the legacy of what has gone before. Cultural/historic sites and the story of the land will be shared with the community, homeowners and especially the island’s keiki. A cultural garden is planned, as well as cultural classes conducted by kupuna of the region. ‘Ōuli is establishing a komike (committee) of community representatives who are knowledgeable about the ahupua‘a and can help to guide any cultural decisions which need to be made.
The ‘Ōuli Farms Foundation has been established to provide charitable support to island organizations – cultural programs and on-island charities – which are already benefiting island residents. A portion of the funds raised to support the foundation and its charitable distributions will come directly from the farm lot owners living on site.
Regenerating and reforesting of ‘Ōuli’s land with native dryland forest trees is an important part of ‘Ōuli’s commitment to sustainability. Trees, including milo, sandalwood, and koai‘a (endemic dryland koa), will be planted and used as property boundaries, natural windbreaks and as part of the community’s landscaping. Native plants, such as kalo, ‘uala, uhi, and pili grass, will also be used in the stream bed areas to control erosion.
Recognizing fire risk, planned initiatives to mitigate potential risk include on site reservoirs (which could be used for water drops and firefighting), irrigated farm areas providing fire breaks, water trucks equipped with water cannons on site, and utilizing fire resistant building materials for homes and buildings.
Farm crop irrigation will utilize non-potable water, currently allocated from the Mauna Kea Resort. Future options for additional non-potable sources are also being explored.
The community’s wastewater will be tied into the South Kohala Wastewater Facility, within the Mauna Kea Resort.
Support for education initiatives for island keiki from pre-kindergarten through high school and beyond are important pieces to ‘Ōuli’s commitment to the community. It will partner with state and local governments and community organizations to showcase career opportunities in farming. ‘Ōuli will support:
- Increase childcare opportunities, both for the island and its employees, through collaborative work with other organizations.
- Collaborate with local schools to provide learning opportunities around food sustainability and farming.
- Host field trips to introduce students to farming and agricultural opportunities on the island.
- Partner with the University of Hawai‘i to provide internships and scholarships to students interested in pursuing a career in farming.
