Wai Mālie Farms was purchased and began being planted out in 2013 and 2014.
At the time, the property looked dramatically different.
There were virtually no established trees or foliage across the land. One orange tree near the top of the property was the notable exception.
We wanted to create two things:
Privacy and a food forest.
Rather than simply filling the property with individual trees, we began with a design map and gradually worked our way across the land.
Trees and shrubs formed the foundation of the landscape.
We planted with the future in mind, knowing that the small trees going into the ground would eventually become much larger parts of the property.
Avocado and longan trees that began as individual plantings now contribute to the upper canopy of the food forest.
Their growth has dramatically changed both the appearance and the environment of the farm.
When our trees were young, sunlight still reached the ground around them.
We used that space.
Garden beds were established around the bases of the trees, allowing those areas to remain productive while we waited for the permanent canopy to develop.
Over the years, the trees grew larger and those conditions changed.
Eventually, many of those original garden areas became shaded by the trees growing above them.
That wasn't a failure of the garden.
It was the next stage of the food forest.
Plants that needed abundant sun gradually gave way to plants better suited to growing beneath a canopy. Different layers began occupying different parts of the available space.
What started as separate trees, shrubs, and garden beds slowly began to feel like a forest.
Coffee is one of the specialty crops you'll find growing at Wai Mālie Farms.
Rather than needing to occupy the uppermost layer of the landscape, coffee can take advantage of the filtered light and protection available beneath an established canopy.
It is a good example of how the conditions created by one generation of planting can provide growing opportunities for another.
Today, the property contains a diverse collection of tropical and subtropical food plants.
Depending on where you walk and what is in season, you may encounter avocado, longan, coffee, mountain apple, star fruit, and other edible and useful plants.
Some are large canopy trees. Others occupy the spaces underneath.
Together they create a landscape that produces different things at different times of the year.
Privacy was one of our goals from the beginning.
More than a decade later, the trees themselves have created it.
Mature avocado, longan, and other vegetation now form layers of greenery around the property, screening surrounding views and creating the feeling of stepping into a secluded tropical oasis—even though you're still in the heart of Makawao.
It's one of the most dramatic differences between the property we started with and the farm you'll experience today.
Wai Mālie Farms follows the seasons rather than a fixed display schedule.
Sometimes you'll walk beneath a tree covered in flowers. Sometimes fruit will just be forming. Other times you'll arrive when something is perfectly ripe.
When we have ripe fruit available, guests may be invited to taste or pick what is in season.
We cannot guarantee fruit on every visit, and that's intentional. Your tour reflects what the farm is naturally producing at that moment.
Tours are approximately one hour and are offered by appointment for private groups of up to 10 people.
Keeping groups small allows the experience to remain relaxed and personal. You'll have time to explore the property, look closely at the plants, hear the story of how the farm developed, and ask questions along the way.
Parking is available in our private driveway and is limited to approximately 4 vehicles, with a maximum of 5 when necessary. We encourage groups to carpool whenever possible.
