On the North Shore of Oahu, Kolea farm was nestled atop a steep mountain not even 20 minutes from the sparkling ocean. When I arrived, I couldn't believe it.
First, I couldn't believe where I was living. There was a small cabin behind Bill's house (the owner of the farm), which had a kitchen and a few dirty rooms coming off of it. Beyond that cabin was an outdoor shower and an outhouse, and even further off to the side there was a little shack. This humble little shack was my new home.
The best part about it was the massive avocado and mango trees, bountiful chia bushes (which are poisonous when eaten raw), chili pepper plants, clusters of rambutan, and more that I couldn’t even recognize. This was my introduction to the artful technique of permaculture.
I find it of the utmost importance to have a true understanding of sustainability going into today’s business world. As a young and eager student I make it my mission to learn as much as I can about the impact we, as individuals and as a society, have in our communities and on this planet we call home.
Working on the north shore of Oahu was a brilliant and eye opening experience for me. Agriculture has been incorporated into my life for as long as I can remember. Home gardens, community gardens, being taught to buy local meat… But working on a commercial permaculture farm opened my mind to the struggles of sustaining an organic farm while competing directly with large, unsustainable, practiced competitors like Dole (which happened to be right down the highway).
I learned how to sow seeds, and to use my body to its maximum capacity.
I learned what it meant to feel connected with the land.
I learned to wake up at the crack of dawn to the crow of a rooster.
Most importantly, I learned what true passion and dedication to this Earth looked like.
I’ll be honest- I don’t want to be a farmer... at all. I want to be a part of it in a different way, and cultivate a stronger and deeper love for this earth, and an awareness of our actions upon it. I’m not asking everyone to dedicate their lives to this cause, but every single day we must seek improvement, knowledge, and a deeper understanding of how we effect and how we can change our world for the better.
As an adventurous and outdoorsy person, I have endless appreciation for our world and how we can improve it. I had a unique experience where I had the opportunity to live off the grid using only solar power and local heating for a few years, which has shaped my views on consumption and sustainability tremendously. I have explored further the importance of sustainability in businesses and corporations as a driver in changing human behavior, and I truly believe that the most effective change will come from the business world. I want to be a part of that change, and, in conclusion, want to encourage people to do there best to connect with our world on a personal level, at the very least for a few moments every single day.