A Look Outside

Aquaponics. Food forestry. Petscaping. Indoor/outdoor living. Low impact design. Natural hydrology.

Have you been or are you being called to a more connected way of life? Does sustainable, modern homesteading sound like such a welcomed relief from the sickness of commercial agribusiness? Well, treat yourself to a huge head start.

Botanical diversity — spanning continents and cultures — flourishes on this land, a land recognized as sacred for generations of native Hawaiians.  A mature bigleaf maple tree (Acer macrophyllum) in the front yard was gifted to the MacKenzies — by a friend’s father, 60 years ago — as a seed from Chicago. A majestic Redwood tree grows beside the maple. Japanese maple trees, cypress trees, a stunning array of jurassic Hāpu’u ferns (Cibotium menziesii), and prolific, the ʻōhiʻa trees (Metrosideros polymorpha) — with their vibrant lehua blossoms — fill the landscape with exquisite scents and a rainbow of color.  You are most assuredly enfolded by nature, in all of its wonder, by this rainforest retreat.

And food? From the two-year-old, new orchard to Mother Nature’s full-grown volunteer ginger/pears/blackberries to the fully-functioning aquaponic growing beds, Hawaii’s flora and fauna are your willing partners in growing your own food. Want a few goats or chickens? How does 6+ acres of land sound as a playground for their healthy, happy lives? Here’s a quick look at what you’ll be growing in your private orchard:

[Open the Full HD Gallery above to see the image at full resolution.]

Permaculture grapevine coplantings with the new trees will 1) provide you grapes and, even better, 2) attract insects that eat other insects and therefore protect your developing fruit trees. If you find any ripe fruit when you visit, please, grab a snack to take with you as you ponder your life here and the bounty that awaits you. [Hint: It’s August, the pears and blackberries are fruiting.]

Invitations & Invocations

We’ve established these yurts as places of community, education, and eco-retreat…not in the business sense, but you certainly could. The regular gathering of neighbors and Volcano Villag-ers has become a community mainstay. One that is waiting to see if you’ll continue the tradition. Here is a short list of reasons we poured concrete foundations for and built these yurts:

The Yin Yurt: Basically it’s for “glamping.” When family and friends converge on this wonderful gathering place, to celebrate a harvest, birthday, or anything really, we’ve set up 9 real beds on the hardwood flooring of this glamorous “tent.”

The Yang Yurt: From yoga to dance to guided meditations, we’ve hosted sensei, masters, gurus, yogis, sages, maestros, and even a few prima donnas who’ve been willing and able to lead those wishing to elevate themselves with new, expansive experiences and impromptu classes.

The Healing Yurt: Local healing practitioners have provided a wide variety of treatments, many of which are widely known, and some of which are integral to Hawaiian culture. We’ve had licensed massage therapist, reki masters, and others routinely administer physical, spiritual, emotional, and psychological healing (or just a quick tune-up) to those who need it.