1 Month in Oahu Working at an Organic Farm
September 15, 2018
This past July, I quit my software consulting job in D.C. to do something a tiiiiny bit different for a month before moving to Charleston, SC...and by a tiny bit different I mean I couldn't really have chosen anything more opposite to my life on the East coast.
I spent the month of August participating in a work-exchange program at a small, organic farm on the North Shore of Oahu working four hours a day on weekdays. I was provided with a comfortable tent set-up, hot shower, compost toilet, and some food (the leftovers from what we harvested and staples like rice and beans), but I mostly had to buy my own food.
As I've shared pictures and videos of my time at Waihuena Farm, I've had lots of people ask how I found the place and what my typical work days looked like.
HOW I FOUND THE FARM:
To be frank, I knew I wanted to be on the North Shore because I follow a couple Instagram accounts that show it off like it's their job (I think it actually might be?). It looked like the perfect place to be outside 24/7, grow and eat from the land, and meet incredible, welcoming, happy people.
I started just googling 'hawaii work-exchange' and found a couple places through Workaway that looked interesting, but once I narrowed my search to 'work-exchange farm oahu', I found Waihuena's website. I did my due-diligence in terms of research - I think I looked at every single page of their website, found their Instagram, read all the past workers' 'reviews', and decided I would fill out their application.
Five months later - yes, you read that right, FIVE MONTHS LATER...as I realized once I arrived, 'island-time' is a real thing...people aren't in a rush to do ANYTHING there - I heard from them and we started a conversation about when I would be able to come to the farm. With the 6-hour time difference, this conversation was quite difficult to complete. Basically, they finally said 'Okay, book the flight' because I was so persistent in my emails and phone calls asking for details and confirmations. With a bit of hesitation, I bought a flight to Honolulu and hoped for the best.
I think it goes without saying that I got VERY lucky in ending up at this place surrounded by the nicest, most adventurous and open-minded people I've ever met.
TYPICAL WORK DAY:
I woke up to chirping birds (and/or a crowing rooster) and a soft breeze rustling through my tent at 7 o'clock every morning. I'd get dressed, brush my teeth in the sink outside, and walk a quarter-mile down a dirt road to the farm kitchen to make breakfast. I usually had eggs, oats, nut butter, and coffee. Lauren, another worker on the farm, would be in the kitchen by then and we'd eat together. Around 8, Carey, the farm manager, would show up to put us to work. Lauren, Carey, and I were the only full-time workers, but most of the people that lived on the farm also put in some hours helping us out throughout the week to reduce their rent.
Depending on the day, we would work in different areas of the farm. On Mondays, we would harvest everything that was ready and then wash and pack it to be sold. Afterwards, we'd have a lunch meeting with everyone at the farm to talk about what needed to be done that week. Other days, we would flip the compost, make compost tea, fertilize, plant, prepare soil for planting, or weed. I also took on the tasks of creating a new farm website and new signs for the road and compost area.
After our four hours were up, we'd have the rest of the day to play! Which I took full advantage of with the help of barely-functioning farm bikes and generous friends with trucks :)
^Veggie stir-fries were a common go-to after a day's worth of work. This one in particular was a spicy curry stir-fry with a veggie burger and hummus on top.
Big thanks to Hawaii Adventure Diving for this eye-opening, cage-less shark encounter experience. These creatures are truly majestic and it was so peaceful swimming around with them in their natural habitat.
Pictures don't begin to do it justice. Be prepared to trek through water and climb some slippery rock.
I obviously couldn't have left the North Shore without learning to surf. So gosh-darnit that's exactly what I did!! Not without a couple of reef gashes to the knees and salt water up the nose, though :)
This is the farm manager's 9-year-old daughter, Zaiha. She is such a little firecracker - witty, adventurous, and a very talented, creative writer. This girl doesn't know how good she has it growing up outside exploring in that paradise every day.
^ one of my last days on the island, trying to soak up every last bit.
Thanks for reading! Comment below if you guys have any more questions.
2 comments
Here from youtube searching 'Hawaii organic farming jobs'...really awesome review. I went to the Waihuena website and noticed they prefer people to have some previous experience in farming/landscaping/outdoor living etc. Is there any previous experience you had that helped your application process? Thanks
ReplyDelete- Andrew
Hi Andrew, so sorry I didn't see this until now. Thanks for reading! I didn't have much previous experience farming or landscaping. I had experience with commercial food preparation, grew my own small garden with a hydroponic system, and offered to help them with their website. But as long as your application and your communications with the farms show that you're going to work hard/maybe create your own side project and enjoy your time there, that's really all they're looking for.
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