17 Jan Life at Olana: Farm Photo tour!

Last weekend we finally got around to a stroll through the farm grounds to take photos! Olana Farm is a 3-acre piece of land about 3 miles east of Kilauea, on Kauai. Tim O’Connor (Jiva) bought the land 20 years ago: an empty pasture on primarily similar land at the top of Molaa Valley, what is today a huge farming community, filled with lush fruit trees abundantly growing on private and public property alike. Over the years, Jiva has planted close to 200 trees on his three acres, filling in the spot with abundance year round. Citrus, avocado, fruit, medicinal… I think there’s basically every type of Hawaiian fruit we’ve come across here, and then some:

Avocados: Sharwill, Green Gold, Malama, and Ota

Citrus: Tangelo, Grapefruit, Navel Orange, Cara Cara Orange, Key Lime, Kaffir Lime, (another lime we can’t remember), Mandarin, Tangerine

Other fruiting trees: Starfruit, Breadfruit, Soursop, Longon, Papaya, Mango, Guava, Strawberry Guava, Passionfruit (vines lining the property), Coconut Palms (2 varieties), Lychee, and 4 banana groves

Medicinal: Mimosa (3 varieties), Moringa, Curry Leaf, Cacao, Eucalyptus, Bamboo

For the first five years, Jiva was only here part time, slowly building the structures on the property, watering the growing fruit forest. From looking around the dense foliage here, you’d never guess these trees are all under 20 years old!

Once Myrica and Jiva met & began creating their packaged products: tea & kitchari, they planted the Mandala herb / medicinal garden on the property as well.

About the structures:

The main (and newest) house has two stories: A product-packing room, full bathroom, and Myrica’s healing treatment room / visitation space. Upstairs is a 1 bedroom home shared by Jiva & Myrica with a full kitchen and another full bathroom.

The other, slightly older house is connected by the lenai and serves as a rental property for long-term Kauai residents and friends of the family. It’s a single story 1 bedroom home with 1 full bathroom, spacious kitchen and open living room with ocean views, and a large outdoor patio (where we had our thanksgiving dinner). There’s also a finished outdoor shower with bamboo walls and stone floor.

The FIRST structure ever built on the property is nicknamed the Love Shack. It’s a 1 room cabin with a kitchenette, patio w/ overhang. Jiva lived in the Love Shack in the earlier years of the property’s history — now it houses WWOOF volunteers or renters, currently Sammie Jo & Marco.

The Love Shack

Our cabin, the Coconut Cabin was built a few years ago – a one room space with a screened in porch. We are nestled in the edge of the forest & property.

We also get to use another outdoor shower & full jacuzzi tub that’s located closer to our cabin. “The Oasis” is a gorgeous bamboo-walled, roofed area surrounded by aromatic blooming bushes like white ginger, angle trumpet, night-blooming jasmine, plus more I can’t remember!

Jiva recently replaced the hot water heater there so we get steaming hot showers or the favorite of Myrica: moonlit baths (haven’t tried that one yet!)… whenever we want!

Located nearest to the center of the property is the community farm kitchen. Complete with two burner gas stove, full size fridge/freezer (shared currently by 5 people), appliances (blender, air fryer / oven / dehydrator / rotisserie combo, various hand juicers, 1 green star masticating juicer, rice cooker, crock pot, toaster oven), shelves, large rubbermaid storage for each volunteer set (4), library, games bin, large farm-food pantry box, prep space plus two tables and numerous chairs.

Kitchen from the outside: machetes, banana ropes!

Lastly there are 3 platform & canopied tents on the farm for Orion (Myrica’s son), Luna and Tim (volunteer residents).