Sustainable Hawaii

THE ECO-HOMESTEAD
New living footprint for self-sufficient farm Ohanas

On slightly more than an acre of ag land the Arcturus Research and Design Group has proto-typed a model small farm where a land family (ohana) can reside, work the farm, and also work elsewhere to make ends meet. They eat together to save money and also build real family ties.

After living here awhile you will come to realize that people who have lived on this island for several generations have had to dig themselves out of a lot of challenges. Because of that they have built Ohana. They know how to share. They can take a bath in a stream. they can get a cow butchered by a friend. They know who fishes. They know who hunts pig. They have raised chickens. They know where to forage for fruit in the gulches. They know how to cook for five hundred people, while the music plays.

You get yourself ready. Don't wory because they are not at the meetings.

2012
in sight

We are closer to paradise
than you know.

Here are ten things that if the world
only knew … would change everything

This is the bridge to the new dawn
and it is already mostly built and you can
help focus on bringing it home

First, if everyone knew the world already is, for all practical purposes, a global civilization that is mostly at peace and united in its cultural aspirations so we don’t have to worry when many of the old governing institutions come down under the weight of their own incompetence.

Wake up North Kohala HOME FOOD storage and PRODUCTION IS CRITICAL

As an elder said at the recent food workshop…. “When the ships don’t come … have 72 days of food stored well in the house or do it right with a great garden but do one or the other and do it now !!!!!! the next year or two is very scary at the global level.”

Our Sustainable Kohala Action Team just spent a few hours with Mayor Billy Kenoi of the Big Island. Beside being a regular guy, the newly elected Mayor is really up to speed on the challenges of becoming more sustainable as an island. One of his strongest comments was, "If sustainability is going to happen anywhere on this island, North Kohala is the place where it can work." Billy strongly supported the series of talk-story sessions our group is having with community leaders to build a unified voice for positive change.

Down on the farm
Nonprofit looks to reinvigorate Big Isle agriculture
by Nancy Cook Lauer
West Hawaii Today
ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com
Sunday, October 25, 2009 7:23 AM HST
HILO -- Agriculture has been one of the linchpins of the Big Island economy.

Yet with all the lip service county officials give agriculture and agricultural sustainability, they've been reluctant to put their money where their mouth is.

As it says in the great Hopi prophecy. Do you know where your water is?
We can perish without water before we perish without food. Dehydration is a very quick way to go. Being smart about water is a wise choice anywhere.

There are fourteen homesteads along Kaauhuhu road on either side of the transfer station and running about a half a mile down from Kinnersley road.

This adventurous group has collected info about the food, water, transport, and power holdings of each homestead and created a meeting area for emergencies. In this way they can collect immediately make plans and support people in need.

They have a half dozen pick-up trucks, two back-ho's, a water purifier, some hunting equipment, fishing equipment, and some interesting combinations of garden foods in case of emergency.