Getting Involved At Hawaii Forest Farms
As a growing farm, we are always on the lookout for people who want to grow with us! Wether you’re interested in a job, an internship, or just want to come volunteer and soak up the forest, we’d be happy to hear from you. Taking the time to interact with our land will give you the opportunity to learn skills that you can apply directly to your own connection with nature, and it can change how you think about agriculture and sustainability.
Volunteering
What Our Volunteers Can Expect From Us
Volunteering on our farm is a rewarding experience for all ages. We want our volunteers to feel that their contributions are important, and that their safety and health is a priority while on our farm. We give safety briefings at the start of each volunteer day to address appropriate use of the selected tools, and at the same time we give the context of the day’s work as it relates to the mission and vision of our forest farming model. We provide all tools, an on-site first-aid kit in case visitors don’t have their own, and a liability waiver for each person to sign at the start of their first day. Possible projects include removing invasive species, planting/propagating/ relocating native plants, processing mamaki leaf, fertilizing/watering/weeding in-ground keiki plants, clearing land, monitoring electric fencing, and tidying up blow-downs and storm damage. Some projects are long-term, and returning volunteers will have the opportunity to see an entire project through in multiple visits.
General benefits of volunteering at HFF:
opportunity to experience and learn firsthand the operations of a unique, established forest farm
learning how to identify invasive plants and native plants in the Volcano area
learning how to grow your own food/medicine in a way that builds soil health, provides shelter and sustenance for wildlife, and leaves future generations better-off
all the mamaki tea you can drink while you’re with us
potential to be considered for future employment
gaining competitive experience to prepare you for future positions in regenerative agriculture
Interested?
Regular Volunteer Days are every second Saturday and third Monday of a given month, from 1-4 pm. Please direct any questions to jordanwesterholm@gmail.com or click the button below.
Farm Apprentice Internship:
More formal than our volunteer opportunities, our internship resembles a job with a regular and structured time commitment and professional applications to a potential career path. By shadowing an on-site supervisor, candidates will get trained in and practice the wide variety of duties included in running a productive forest farm. An internship experience will depend largely on what needs to get done on the farm but can also be catered to an extent to fit the needs of the candidate. Need to fill a college requirement? Looking to gain some first-time experience to propel you into a career path? Want to try something you haven’t before? Consider coming to work with us.
Benefits Include:
opportunity to experience and learn firsthand the operations of a unique, established forest farm
customized training, facilitated independent learning, and options for legacy projects to leave your mark on the farm
occasional farm produce to take home depending on season, and all the mamaki tea you can drink while you’re with us
potential to be considered for future employment
our wide scope of duties and tasks will give you competitive experience to prepare you for future positions in regenerative agriculture
letter of recommendation for interns who perform well
Interested?
Employment
As our farm grows and changes, we periodically do outreach for new employees. If you’re interested and you see a ‘learn more’ button below, click it to be directed to a job description of our newest open position! If you don’t see the button, keep checking in from time to time to stay in the loop.