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I'm interested in farming. Where do I start? I'm interested in farming. Where do I start? Surf the internet. Information on all aspects of sustainable and organic agriculture is abundant. Become proficient with computers and the internet ~ they’re an integral part of agribusiness today.
Attend sustainable agriculture field days, workshops and conferences. Focus on programs that feature farmer panels and farmers as presenters. While there, take advantage of your time by connecting with the speakers and other farmers attending. They can help encourage and support you. Take a class: Educational institutions such as colleges and universities, some community colleges and vocational ag programs at high schools offer formal learning settings. It is not always necessary to be enrolled as a student to take a course. Non-profit farm education and support organizations provide many kinds of informative programs. Kauai Community College Maui Community College Hawaii Community College La’akea Permaculture Gardens (http://www.permaculture-hawaii.com/) After you have thoroughly researched, planned and finally determined what the market wants, what you want to produce, and how you prefer to market your products, you can begin the process of selecting property. For example, a vegetable market gardening enterprise will require a different resource base from a dairy or cattle operation. Purchasing farmland is not necessarily the best option, especially for beginning farmers. Rental, long-term lease, lease-to-own, or other tenure arrangements may make better business sense. This allows new farmers to gain experience as a farm manager or herdsman before committing to a piece of farmland.
Where do I rent or lease land? Large land-holding estates such as the Campbell Estate and Kamehameha School (Bishop Estate) lease land for agriculture, but not in small parcels. Some of their tenants may be willing to sub-lease small acreage. You can locate these farmers and approach them. Perhaps the land owners will assist you with contacts. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture has an ag lease program with parcels of various sizes from small to large. Contact HDOA to learn about the possibilities and requirements for leasing. There are state ag parks on all islands for potential leasing. What kind of property do I look for? Sometimes people commit to a farm based more on a romantic vision than a realistic assessment. If you are not 100% sure of how or where you want to farm, it may make sense to rent or lease, to see if this is the right place for you. Farming visions, goals and preferences can change, so make sure that the property you select offers an appropriate degree of flexibility, too. Once you have determined what type enterprise you want, consider the following factors when looking for farmland. Location: How accessible is the property? How close are you to neighbors? How close are you to your markets and your suppliers? What zoning restrictions are there? If you’ll be direct marketing through a farm stands or ag tourism, will you have adequate site access and parking? Natural Resources: Consider how suitable the size (acreage), topography, soil types, field sizes and layout, and water bodies (ponds, streams, wetlands) are for your planned agri-business enterprise. Consider sensitive cultural and environmental features as well (endangered species, cultural sites, etc.). Climate: Elevation and precipitation, the length of growing season, and micro-climates will help dictate what you can grow. Housing: Do you require housing on the farm or nearby? Can you build? Farm infrastructure: Evaluate the farm buildings, fencing, roads, water supply, utilities, and equipment. Can you build or place new infrastructure? Farm history: What were the prior uses for the property, specifically chemical use and storage, non-agricultural uses, liens and encumbrances? Community Resources: What kind of agriculture is already present in the area? Are there farming neighbors for support and advice? Are there agricultural service providers serving the region? What should I grow? For more information on marketing, see: The Business of Agriculture: Agri-Entrepreneurship Topics CTAHR Ask the Experts Database contains hundreds of questions and answers to a great variety of topics. It includes access points for:
Where can I get technical assistance? The University of Hawaii’s Cooperative Extension Service has offices statewide to assist farmers, ranchers, nursery owners, landscapers, food processors, and other agribusiness people. To locate the extension office nearest to you, contact the Cooperative Extension Service at (808) 956-8139. Click here to reach the CTAHR website and look under extension/outreach for a list of locations statewide. Professionals at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provide information about soil, water, plant, and animal resources. Find your local service center by visiting their website, or calling their Pacific Islands Area Office at (808) 541-2600. Click here to see Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture’s Grower's/Farmer's Produce and Flower Markets in Hawaii Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation sponsored Farmers' Markets: at Kapiolani Community College (Honolulu), Mililani and Kailua What farms give tours? Grading (more than 3’ elevation change, or 50 cubic yards), stockpiling (more than 100 cubic yards), grubbing (removing any vegetation on 15,000 square feet or greater), and trenching require permits for soil disturbing work. A Special Management Area permit is required if the planned work is in the Special Management Area, this is mostly work near the coastal areas and is tied to Coastal Zone Management program requirements. Each county is responsible for issuing this permit. Do I need a permit to work on a stream or wetland? The DLNR Commission on Water Resources Management is responsible for issuing the Stream Alteration and Stream Diversion Permits. These permits may be required even if a Corps. Of Engineers' permit is not required. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Commission on Water Resources Management: Phone 808-587-0249 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for issuing Clean Water Act Section 404 permits for discharges of fill into streams, wetlands and other waters of the United States. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Phone 808-438-9258. Are permits required for discharges into streams or the ocean? for wastewater, solid waste, hazardous waste, and burning? The Dept. of Health Clean Water Branch is responsible for issuing the Clean Water Action Section 401 Water Quality Certification, which is needed when a Section 404 permit is required. The Clean Water Branch also issues the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for point discharges into streams, the ocean, and other waters. Other branches within the Department of Health issue wastewater, solid waste, hazardous waste, burning, and other related permits. Hawaii Department of Health, Clean Water Branch Phone 808-586-4309 There is a lot of variability in compost products in Hawaii as of this writing (6/04). Be sure you understand what you’re looking for when you search for compost products. Some composts are primarily shredded green waste, other may have mixes of animal manures with bulking agents. If you're growing organic produce, you're subject to strict regulations for compost production. You may need to produce your own on-farm compost material. Check your local yellow pages for sources of compost. Here's what we found: O'ahu: Kaua'i - no information available Maui - no information available Hawai'i Island - no information available Lana'i - no information available Can I use shredded green waste from the dump in my organic garden? The green waste from the county landfill comes from hundreds of different souces, many of them commercial landscapers. Green waste may be used on an organic farm provided it is first comosted according to the requirements of the NOP foudn in section 205.203(c)(2) or brought onto the farm and quarantined for three years to date of harvest. Is it OK to use crushed coral in organic production? Yes. Crushed coral, also known as calcium carbonate, is a locally produced and relatively inexpensive form of calcium for your farm and garden. Other accepted forms of calcium include: oyster shell flour, dolomite (not slaked), aragonite, and mined limestone (CaC03). Can I use treated lumber for my organic raised garden beds? Treated lumber that comes into contact with soil or livestock must not be treated with arsenic or any other prohibited materials. Lumber treated with boric acid, also known as Hi-Bor, is acceptable provided that there is no direct contact with food or crops. Where can I find a copy of the federal organic standards? The federal organic standards and copies of the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances can be downloaded for free at the National Organic Program Homepage: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexIE.htm. Copies of the organic standards, as well as other organic growing guidelines, can be found in the HOFA handbook. The handbook is available in the HOFA application packet for $75 or can be purchases separately for $15. Where can I find information sources for Pacific Island farmers? PEOPLE Publications for Sustainable Extension Efforts on Tropical Islands ADAP (Agricultural Development in the American Pacific) Publications What financial assistance and grants are available to small farmers? Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture: Financial Assistance and New Farmer Loan Program |
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