Malama Ka'Aina Farm

The Kohala Sanctuary at Malama Ka'aina Farms was founded in the Aloha spirit in 1996 by Joel & Michelle Levey. Designed and developed according to principles from permaculture, organic gardening, and indigenous wisdom traditions, this sacred land is one of the richest and most fertile organic farms on the Island of Hawaii and has been stewarded in a pristine and loving way since its inception.
Our twelve lush acres overlooking the ocean with vast vistas of Maui and other Hawaiian Islands offer a rare collection and arboretum of beautiful, useful, edible, medicinal, ornamental, native, and magical botanical specimens. Our gardens and orchards provide an abundance of food and medicines ~ avocados, pineapple, rose apple, bananas, papayas, mangos, sapote, plantain, coconut, mountain apple, surinam cherry, figs, guava, passion fruit, macadamia nut, Malabar chestnut, aloe vera, lichee, rambutan, jabotacaba, datura, abiu, ava, neem, dozens of varieties of edible and useful bamboo, many varieties of palms, and fresh garden vegetables.
Stewarding the 'Aina
The Kohala Farm Sanctuary was initially designed & planted by world-renowned tropical permaculture expert Douglas Bullock, who has cultivated a deep understanding of natural design principles. Our farm was developed as part of a 4-month tropical permaculture course that we held on our land. Douglas' intent was to create a showcase permaculture farm and arboretum established according to natural design principles. As the farm has grown, many of these intentions are being abundantly fulfilled. Adding generous portions of biodynamic gardening wisdom to the mix, David Guyer-Stevens took over as chief gardener of the aina after Doug Bullock returned to his main center on Orcas Island and resumed his teaching and travels around the world. In later years, much of the farm's development was stewarded by Don May, former co-founder of the La'akea Permaculture Gardens on the Big Island. Don's inspired design work in installing many of the newer gardens, ponds, bamboo groves and orchards was invaluable. Many lessons and refinements await us in the years to come.
As a working organic and permaculture farm, The Kohala Sanctuary at Malama Ka'aina Farms welcomes guests and lecturers from around the world to offer programs that teach principles related to natural and sustainable living, organic gardening, and permaculture to students and interns from around the globe.
Our friends and farm workers are encouraged to explore the farm, sample its many sweet & unusual fruits, learn about the principles of organic gardening and permaculture, and glimpse the possibilities mirrored here of a sustainable, balanced lifestyle living closer to the aina ~ the Earth ~ and more in the natural, nurturing rhythms of life. This land, and the diverse variety of beings growing here, have much to teach us about ways we can live in greater harmony and balance ~ with the natural forms and forces of our environment, our world, our communities, and our cosmos.
In this Aloha Spirit we invite you to visit the Kohala Sanctuary
at Malama Ka'aina Farms.
E komo mai
Please come and visit us!
Joel & Michelle Levey
Stewards of the Kohala Sanctuary at Malama Ka'aina Farms
What is Permaculture:
"Permaculture, originally 'Permanent Agriculture', is often viewed as a set of gardening techniques, but it has in fact developed into a whole design philosophy, and for some people a philosophy for life. Its central theme is the creation of human systems which provide for human needs, but using many natural elements and drawing inspiration from natural ecosystems. Its goals and priorities coincide with what many people see as the core requirements for sustainability." Emma Chapman
Permaculture design principles teach us to pay attention to the myriad of forms and forces present in our location and our world. It teaches us to make choices in how we live that are in harmony and lead to sustainability, vitality, resilience, and self-reliance in profound connection to all our relations. Permaculture is not a dogma or a religion but an ecological design system which helps us find solutions to the many problems facing us - both locally and globally.
Permaculture attends to how to grow food, build houses and create communities, and minimize environmental impacts all at the same time. By attending carefully to our resources - food, energy, shelter and other material and non-material needs - it is possible to live a richer life with less effort and consumption. We can learn to be more productive with less effort, realizing benefits for ourselves, our environments, for now and for generations to come. This is the essence of Permaculture - the design of an ecologically sound way of living - in our households, gardens, communities and businesses. It is nurtured by deep listening, attunement, and cooperation with Nature, and by a heartfelt intention to live in harmony with the Earth, its people, and its diverse life-forms. The dynamic principles are ever emerging and are constantly evolving and being refined by people throughout the world in very different climates and cultural circumstances who are attuned to this way of life.


For more information or to arrange a visit to our farm, please contact:
Joel & Michelle Levey
808.889.0056
Levey@WisdomAtWork.com