Take Time to Digest

Last Friday Dan and I went into town. There was a celebration of the spring equinox, an art walk, and a show. Bill Kreutzmann, the drummer for the Grateful Dead was playing so we had to go. In front of a busy art gallery we ran into Mekepa. Mekepa is a native Kauaian and though we don't really know him (we saw him play at a bar once) he slowed down to talk story with us. He said the island is beautiful and it is hard, raw. If you don't take time to digest what is shows you, you won't make it here. He talked with us for 45 minutes reminiscing about old town Kapa'a and what it was like when he was a child. The building we were standing next to was where one of the kings lived. Imagine!

Playin, Playin in the band!

We had fun at the show, Jillian and her husband were there along with Turtle and Stew. Turtle gave all the ladies plumeria flowers for their hair. I love plumerias, they smell divine! They opened the doors to the lanai, so we stayed outside listening to the band jam and laughing at Turtles stories and Jillian's antics.

Jillian's son Sage

Seeds Dan and I sewed last week and Sage being silly. The kids are on spring break for 3 weeks so they hang out with us in class. She also has a daughter Faith, she has the most beautiful eyes, I'll try to get a picture of her.

Jillian showing us seeds that were sewn properly and some that weren't and shows us how to troubleshoot what went wrong.

Sage pulled a clover and showed us the root system. It has a "mother" and a bunch of babies that can be spread throughout the garden by shoveling and what not.

Dan and I planted lettuce and tat soi this week.

Green Grand Rapids grow next to Cherokee lettuce.

Pretty palm fronds

A banana tree, the bottom is the edible flower. 

We went into the banana grove to take some pictures and were ambushed by Sage. He is catching chickens (that day he built a cage with chicken wire, boards and nails by himself) and has a hide out in the bushes. When he saw us he had to see who we were. When he realized it was us he goes "oh, it's just the interns" he's too funny!

Dwarf coconut trees for easier pickings

Stew and I Double Digging

Jillian is an expert at it!

Jillian prepares the inoculate for the soil.

We all get to try. She says we are creating chaos in the garden by doing this. Perfect!

Sage watches from the tree as Jillian puts on a backpack to spray the inoculation

Tiana listens closely to the inoculation plan

spraying

spraying

everyone pitches in to spread the chaos

Beautiful Rainbow Chard

a baby pineapple

sorry for the blurry close up, iPhones don't take good close ups

Lemongrass

After spraying we all walk

past the greenhouse

by the chickens

so Jillian can show us her worm bed

Sage showing us a big worm

This week at the farm, we learned about permaculture, sheet mulching and inoculation of soil and seeds. I won't bore you with the details but if you care to know click on the word that you want to know more about. After I posted a picture of Dan drinking from a coconut on facebook the other day, I was called a hippy. It's kind of funny because I've never thought of myself that way, besides it has such a bad stigma. Drugged, stinky, airy-fairy activists. But I guess I have been in the closet about it. After all, I love yoga and the wisdom and peace it brings me. I want to connect in meaningful ways with people. I want to eat food that doesn't harm the environment, animals and people who grow it. I like drinking fresh coconut juice from a coconut. I love to be in nature. I want to do work that matters and effect people in a positive way. Does that make me a hippy? Maybe. If that's the case, I'm ok with that.

coconuts

handmade machetes (for sale) to whack open older coconuts who have no water left but do have tasty meat.

drilling for water

 a perfect drinking hole

refreshing

we all say yum

yum!

Hawaiian Purple Potato 

Breakfast; egg fruit and soursop

the egg fruit is delicious, almost custardy, starchy and sweet. The soursop was a sour texture violation I had to blend it into some soy milk!

I have been struggling with settling in here. A lot of folks don't want to get to know you when they find out you are new to the island. Also, if you have not put your bad habits to rest (impatience for example) you may find yourself with out any friends. The island demands it's people to be honest, loving, kind and compassionate to family, friends, strangers, the land and the sea. Any bad behavior will not be called out but simply ignored as will you. Besides trying to connect with people I am trying to earn a living. I'm pretty sure I could get a job at the local grocery store or restaurant, but we moved out here to do our own thing. I find myself of walking a tightrope. On one hand I want to make money so I can not only pay for my bills (we still have a lot in savings) but buy good wine, socialize, wear nice clothes (as nice as they get here, read: casual), buy some pretty sandals and go to yoga classes. In order to do that I need to get paid well for my work so $10.00 an hour at the local health food store won't do. I busy myself with making a website, flyers, and facebook connections. Creating sleepless nights and manic energy. I know I need to calm down, digest what the island is showing me. I wanted to be uncomfortable, to grow, to learn. I went to a meditation class this morning in an effort to balance my energizer bunny energy. I was reminded that because of choices we have made things can be tough and that is not necessarily a bad thing. I am essentially mentally detoxifying, it can be ugly, uncomfortable and erratic. But why hold onto things that do not serve me? So, I am glad I went. I feel better now, reassured that _____ (God, life, the universe) will provide and I will be stronger for it, healthier.

My meditation teacher