Living Pono Plantation
Where Land Becomes Opportunity
A Working Farm with Purpose
Living Pono Plantation is more than a farm. It's an educational hub, a job training facility, and a place of transformation where people with disabilities, dislocated workers, at-risk youth, and those in recovery discover purpose through connection to the land.
Our working farm integrates traditional Polynesian food crops with modern sustainable practices including aquaponics and vermicomposting. This creates a hands-on learning environment where participants gain real agricultural skills while experiencing the cultural values and environmental stewardship that have sustained Hawaiian communities for generations.
Whether someone is 16 and searching for direction, 45 and rebuilding after job loss, or facing physical or cognitive challenges, Living Pono Plantation offers a path forward through meaningful work, skill development, and community connection.
'Aina-Based Educational Opportunities
For K-12 School Groups
Field trips and educational programs that teach students about sustainable agriculture, traditional Hawaiian farming practices, and environmental stewardship through hands-on experiences.
For At-Risk Youth
Culturally significant educational experiences that help young people discover purpose, develop work skills, and build connections to culture and community through agricultural work.
For People with Disabilities
Comprehensive job training in agricultural skills, providing meaningful employment opportunities and pathways to self-sufficiency. Participants develop skills in planting, cultivation, harvesting, food processing, and sustainable farming practices.
For Disadvantaged Populations and Dislocated Workers
Skills development programs that prepare participants for careers in agriculture and related industries. Training includes both technical agricultural skills and soft skills needed for workplace success.
Work Therapy and Community Support
Integration of agricultural work into recovery programs, providing structure, purpose, and connection for individuals in recovery. The farm offers a healing environment where work becomes therapy and the land becomes teacher.
Rooted in Cultural Values
Living Pono Plantation operates within a modern ahupua'a framework that honors traditional Hawaiian resource management while incorporating contemporary sustainable practices. This cultural foundation provides:
- Connection to place and identity
- Respect for traditional ecological knowledge
- Understanding of kuleana (responsibility) to the land
- Experience of Hawaiian values through agricultural work
Community Impact
Producing fresh, locally-grown food that supports our community, reduces import dependency, and connects Maui schools to healthy produce.
Creating jobs, training the next generation of farmers, and diversifying Maui's rural economy through sustainable agriculture.
Preserving agricultural lands, protecting watersheds, and managing resources through programs rooted in cultural values and sustainable practices.
Maintaining traditional Hawaiian agricultural practices, protecting cultural sites and landscapes, and preserving native Hawaiian rights and knowledge.
Providing services for people with disabilities and disadvantaged individuals, creating opportunities for self-improvement and community well-being.
Beginning Farmer Development Program
We are working to establish a comprehensive Beginning Farmer Development Program dedicated to training new and displaced farming families on Maui and inspiring island youth to consider careers in agriculture.
Modeled after successful programs like The Kohala Center's Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program on Hawai'i Island, this program will provide
- Hands-on mentorship from experienced farmers
- Business planning and financial management training
- Technical skills in sustainable agriculture
- Access to land and resources
- Marketing and distribution support
- Community and peer networking
Why This Matters
Agricultural expertise is aging out. Young people are leaving the islands. Farmland is being lost to development. The Beginning Farmer Program addresses these challenges by creating pathways for the next generation to enter farming, ensuring that Maui's agricultural heritage and food security have a future.
Status: Program in development. We are securing land, resources, and partnerships to bring this vision to life.
Plant Seeds of Opportunity and Healing
Your support helps us train the next generation of farmers, provide meaningful employment for people with disabilities, and offer healing work therapy for those in recovery. Together, we're building food security, economic opportunity, and stronger futures—one person, one plant, one harvest at a time.