the last day

Today we leave our final farm here in the Kona Coffee Belt.  

Around this time, two hundred and three days ago, we set off on the start of our journey into the coffee world. We had no idea what to expect and we could have never imagined or planned how perfect this trip would turn out to be.

We've stayed and worked on a total of four different Kona Coffee Farms, all very different and unique in their own ways. Looking back on all the things we have learned and experienced and all the amazing people who have taken us in, there are so many reasons for us to be sad...and really happy and thankful at the same time.

Eric and I set a goal for ourselves; to learn everything we could about coffee, first hand. And we did that and way more.

We owe everything to the people we have met here. Without them we wouldn't have worked so hard, learned so much, or have had the most fun times of our lives. 

Leaving this place is almost unbearable to think about but if there is one thing we've learned on this expedition it's that you never know where life will take you next. There's no doubt that we will be taking this experience and knowledge with us as we move on and begin the next phase.  

Thanks for coming along with us. It's been fun sharing with you, the incredibly surreal time we've had in Hawaii.

"Final Goodbye"

"Kona Earth Ohana" 

"Makahiki Ohana"

"WWOOF Ohana"

"Surf Ohana"

around the island in three days

Eric and I took a few days off the farm to go on a road trip all the way around the Big Island. The trip included one long road, a 50ft cliff jump, camping on a volcano, waterfalls, valleys, both desert and tropical forests, a night in cowboy country, and all the beaches one could handle in three days. It was fun to play tourists for a little while but by the end we were happy to be eating Poke at our favorite beach spot watching the sun set back in Kona.

"Road Trip"

"First Stop, South Point" 3/5/2013

"Eric After Jump" 3/5/2013

"View from the Road" 3/5/2013

"Setting Up Camp at Volcano" 3/5/2013

"Steam Vents at Volcano National Park" 3/5/2013

"Kilauea" 3/5/2013

"Road Closed Due to Lava Flow" 3/5/2013

"The Scenic Route" 3/6/2013

"Akaka Falls" 3/6/2013

"Coffee in Cowboy Country" 3/7/2013

"Falls at Waipi'o Valley" 3/7/2013

"Waipi'o Valley" 3/7/2013

"Road on the Ridge" 3/7/2013

"Palolo Valley" 3/7/2013

"Makalawena" 3/10/2013

"Hues of Blues" 3/10/2013

"Eric's Handstand Attempt" 3/10/2013

day one hundred and seventy nine

I sure am going to miss that little pink moped. 

Thursday was a sad day. As I followed Eric down to a nearby shopping center to complete the sale of our good friend, Barbie, I reflected on all of the good (and some terrifying) times we had because of that shiny moped. 

Watching Eric weave in and out of the typical traffic that always includes a slew of monster-sized trucks, I laugh and shutter at the same time, thinking about holding Eric for dear life as we hugged the white line, exploring and traveling as far and as fast as that scooter would take us.

She was there from the beginning and letting her go, 1,842 miles and a bit faded later, is pretty much the beginning of the end. We are now on the last leg of the trip where we stop counting the days spent and start counting down to the day we leave. Here's to our first goodbye...

"Barbie vs. Truck" 10/1/2012 

"Moving on Moped" 11/2/2012 

"Barbie Always Stood Out" 10/14/2012

"Negotiating the Deal" 2/28/2013

"Final Goodbye" 2/28/2013

day one hundred and seventy

As I spend another day in the sun under the dependable blue sky, our favorite Hawaiian radio station plays their version of 'Take Me Home, Country Road' and I can't help but feel that I have found 'home', right here on the big island. 

I admit that this could partly be a glorified case of vacation-itis but after Hawaii was ranked the happiest state for the third year in a row, I am convinced there is more to it.

No matter where I have stood, be it up mauka looking down to the curvy coastline or down by the sea looking up towards the mounting peaks, I have been surrounded by the islands natural beauty. For the short time that I have been here, the views while driving from the farm to the mill have not gotten old and I cannot imagine a day when the sunset is not cause for silent admiration.  

Here, there is time for that appreciation. There is a slower pace, a sense of calm, that allows you to take the time to look around, to soak it all in and to appreciate your environment and the people in it. 

I haven't been here very long but I am not surprised at all that Hawaii is the happiest state. It's different. That 'aloha spirit' is alive and well here. 

Although this place will not always be my physical home, there are values and qualities that can be taken from the island, no matter where home actually is. The swaying palm trees and neon geckos might be hard to move but we can all put a little 'aloha' in our lives.

Akahai, meaning kindness to be expressed with tenderness
Lokahi, meaning unity, to be expressed with harmony
Olu'olu, meaning agreeable, to be expressed with pleasantness
Ha'aha'a, meaning humility, to be expressed with modesty
Ahonui, meaning patience, to be expressed with perseverance 

Aloha!
    

"Eric Stripping the Tree" 2/16/2013 

"Coffee Blooms" 2/14/2013

"Casey Petting Horse" 2/16/2013

"City of Refuge" 1/19/2013

"Carvings and Palm Trees" 1/19/2013

  

day one hundred and fifty six

Take a break from shoveling that snow, grab yourself a nice coffee and enjoy a few minutes of "island style"!

day one hundred and forty eight

One day you can be cutting down a mac nut orchard, the next you could be developing a roast profile for the latest coffee harvest. Then there is everything in between. That's farming for you.

The chainsaw broke after the first row of mac nut trees (there are a couple hundred left to go) so in the meantime we started planting 'keikis' or baby coffee trees. Hopefully they will be ready to go into the ground once the land is cleared in a few months. I'm sure Eric prefers the shrill of the chainsaw but I will take a morning in the garden putting keikis into cute little planters any day.

The 'in between' includes spraying fungus to stop the ever-spreading CBB, attending a coffee expo, shoveling a couple thousand pounds of coffee off the drying deck, roasting and packaging coffee, and making repairs and improvements around the farm.

The highlight this week was definitely creating a new roast profile. Eric put his roasting skills to the test and came up with an awesome profile and roasted several small batches that will be sold by Kona Earth. We will have more info to come but we brewed some this morning and it is delicious!  

"Safely Spraying for CBB" 1/29/2012

"Keiki Coffee Trees" 1/29/2013

"Casey Cutting Down Mac Tree" 1/18/2013

"Roasting at Makahiki Farms" 1/31/2013

"Tons of Coffee" 1/29/2013

day one hundred and forty one

"I've got nothing to do today but smile"  

-Simon & Garfunkle

We have been here in Kona for one hundred and forty one days. That's one hundred and forty one days of living simply, of challenges and opportunities, of hard work and lots of fun. 

It's been one hundred and forty one days of not really knowing what each day will bring. 

Ever wonder why we title these posts by the day? It's because this is a journey of one day leading to the next. We've learned to surrender and to just enjoy the ride.  Any expectations we had have been exceeded, so hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile.

"Enjoying the Sunset" 1/5/2013

day one hundred & thirty four

Now that the final big coffee pick of the season is complete things have started to slow down here on the farm. Sure, there is still work to be done but this means that there is a little more time for extracurricular activities, which happen to be plentiful here in Kona.

The week started with a road trip with the Kona Earth family up to the highest peek in the world, Mauna Kea. Standing next to giant metallic and white telescopes above the clouds at 13,803 feet, surrounded by red rocky mountains in all directions felt more like a trip to a different planet than to sacred Hawaiian land but the sunset from the summit was unmatchable. The rest of the night was spent looking up into the sky as though it was the first time. In the crystal clear air we viewed Jupiter and it's moons, Pleiades (aka Suburu or the Seven Sisters), the "near by" galaxy of Andromeda, many constellations (Orion, Taurus..) and even got to make a couple of wishes on some shooting stars! The whole night was magical until my toes froze, I totally forgot what wintry weather felt like, well even so, it was still magical.  

The week also included sea turtles close enough to nibble our toes and whales big enough to see from the sandy shores. After a morning of mowing the fields and raking the coffee on the deck (see, we are doing some work!) we headed North to look for the humpback whales that arrive this time of year. Somehow, we picked the perfect spot and with the island of Maui showing in the distance, we watched pods of whales flapping their fins and jumping high out of the choppy water. 'See whales in Hawaii' has now been checked off my bucket list. 'Swim with whales in Hawaii' has now been added.

The saying "time flies when you are having fun" has never been truer. The time is flying but we are filling the time with things we enjoy- like roasting coffee for 12 hours straight- and things that get us excited- like exploring summits and seas. So, things on the farm may have slowed down, but we certainly have not.  

"Flying off the Summit" 1/12/2013

"Honu is Hawaiian for Sea Turtle" 1/11/2013

"Telescopes before Sunset" 1/12/2013

"Casey and Eric at 13,803 feet" 1/12/2013

"Gemini Telescope" 1/12/2013

   

day one hundred & twenty seven

Surfing

In the early morning chill we loaded Gary's truck with the boards and made our way down to Kahalu'u Beach Park, the perfect spot for a couple of newbies. The water was refreshingly warm, the sun was gently heating our backs and the adrenaline was flowing. The three of us pushed off the sharp black lava rocks and paddled out, the reef and schools of yellow fish showing clearly beneath us. 

So many things were going through my mind as I turned my board to face the shore and started paddling, paddling as hard as I could. Was a shark going to eat me? What if I hit the shallow rock bottom? What if I get in someones way? Before I could change my mind the wave was at my back. Just as I thought my arms would break off from the paddling, I felt the wave pushing me. Running through the steps I was told to take, I put my left foot out in front of me, I took a moment to find my balance and then, I stood up. Once I realized I was still alive and actually surfing for the first time, a rush of excitement came over me and I couldn't help but smile my way to the end of the wave.

"Casey on the Shoreline" 12/30/2012

  

day one hundred & twenty

On a sunny Sunday morning we made our way down to a neighboring coffee farm, Makahiki Farms, to roast some coffee with the owner and master roaster. Eric and I have seen many roasters here in Kona, but the roast room at Makahiki Farms really ups the bar. Everything is perfectly organized and the room is kept immaculately clean. We joked that we should have put on lab coats before we walked in!

This farm has quickly become a favorite of ours because the owners grow, harvest, process, and roast their coffee themselves. We are also fascinated with the different technology that they incorporate on their farm including an iPhone controlled irrigation system and an iPad app that assists in creating consistent roast profiles. 

Already having shadowed a few batches done by the owner, Eric got behind the wheel of the roaster. After measuring and pouring the green beans into the hopper, the roast was on. As the beans turned, Eric carefully monitored the temperature and time making the proper adjustments to the gas and air flow all while closely listening for the sound of the 'first crack'. Using a blend of craftsmanship and technology he was able to successfully roast three individual batches of coffee without burning the place down! 

It turns out, he's kind of a natural and may have found his calling.

With roasting now under our belts, we're proud to say that in the past four months we have done every step in the process of getting coffee from seed to cup!     

"Eric's First Batch" 12/30/2012

"Roaster at Makahiki Farms" 12/30/2012

"Dropping the Beans" 12/30/2012

"Eric Adjusting the Gas" 12/30/2012

"Finished Product" 12/30/2012