Blog
Have You Heard of Chayote Fruit?
Have you heard of chayote fruit? Perhaps its a family favorite, a staple in your native culture. Or perhaps you have never heard of it at all! Chayote grows best in warm, tropical and subtropical climates. Of Central American...
Fasting 101
This week we are re-posting a blog from our sister project, a holistic health and wellness service for women called Bodhidevi. Bodhidevi strives to allow women to realize their fullest selves through yoga, exercise, nutrition, meal service programs, Ayurvedic therapy,...
Striving to Be the Best Farm Stay Hawaii Can Offer
At Gingerhill, we are passionate about sustainability, organic living, and community. Our volunteers and interns hail from all different areas and traditions, and each bring a wealth of knowledge and talent to our operation. Instead of embracing rigid dogmatism and...
Christmas Dinner: Merriment Meets Sustainable Eating
Though our community members tend toward more secular and spiritual beliefs than religious ones, we jump at any chance to celebrate the joy of living and cook up some good food! Christmas at the farm this year was a splendid, decorative, fun, and delicious evening of...
How to Live Sustainably: Small Changes with Significant Impact
Recent environmental reports have revealed just how dire the trajectory of climatic change has become for humans. Now more than ever, individuals are wondering how to live sustainably while maintaining a semblance of normalcy and functionality in their lives. At...
Coffee Pruning at Gingerhill
If you are interested in finding one of the most comprehensive Big Island farm tours on the Kona side, look no further! Our farm has it all, from fruit trees and vegetables gardens to food forests and livestock. One of the most intriguing aspects of our farm tour,...
The Best Affordable, Sustainable, Organic Gifts
Consumers are slowly but steadily becoming more conscious of the environmental and ethical consequences of their purchasing decisions. These new attitudes are incentivizing several small organic companies and stimulating greater interest in sustainable and organic...
Add Some Aloha to Your Holiday Organic Cooking
Christmas in Hawaii is magical. Many families choose to spend their holiday breaks vacationing in Hawaii. Indeed, it's a great way to get away from the cold and bustle of the mainland. But while the holidays in Hawaii are great fun, they don’t always feel like, well,...
The Slow Food Movement and Gingerhill
The Slow Food Movement: a buzz-worthy phrase, a movement, a philosophy, a lifestyle…or all of the above? There are several people that subscribe to so-called Slow Food philosophies. Others participate in organizations touting the Slow Food movement banner, like Slow...
Why Farming is Great for Your Kids
You know that physical activity is absolutely essential to your child's physical health and mental development. You know that extracurricular after school programs for kids are vital in fostering personal passions and skills. And you know that spending time in nature...
Ecotourism and Tours in Hawaii
Ecotourism has re-emerged as a buzzword among social justice warriors over the course of the past decade. However, the concept actually dates back to the early 1980’s. Since then, many individuals have designed their own forms of ecotourism in an effort to save the...
To Till or Not to Till? Examining Organic Farming Techniques
Tilling: time old trick, or outdated agricultural method? The practice of tilling has existed for generations, and it is beneficial in many instances. However, the No-Till movement of recent decades has exposed the failures of tilling practices and offered practical...
Cacao: The Food of the Gods
Whether your luxury of choice is a decadent milk chocolate bar or raw cacao powder sprinkled in a smoothie, you know just how rewarding to the senses the rich chocolate taste of cocoa products can be. The good news is: that reward isn’t limited to the sensation of...
Earthships: Pro or Con for Agriculture in Hawaii?
Earthships: bastions of sustainability or green-washing parading as a lifestyle? It’s hard to say. The intention and design of the Earthship model is a venerable one, and these sustainable homes are remarkably successful for many. However, there are drawbacks to...
Taking a Solo Trip to Hawaii? Here’s Where You Should Go
Interested in taking a solo trip to Hawaii? The prospect of vacationing alone is daunting for most. Sure, you have complete autonomy to determine your schedule and see the places you want to see. And you won't have to deal with the typical bickering and chaos...
Why Coffee is So Good For You
Consistently oscillating between demonization and valorization, coffee has a reputation that has shifted markedly over the last few decades. Late 20thcentury studies indicated that the delicious, addictive, stimulating beverage would surely yield negative health...
The Attributes and Origins of Kona Coffee
Kona coffee is internationally acclaimed for its unsurpassable quality. Sweet, heavy in body, and mildly acidic, Kona coffee boasts a flavor profile with notes of chocolate and wine, with just a hint of spice. Coffee connoisseurs assure that you would be hard pressed...
Finding Joy in the Farm Lifestyle
Thus far, I have largely focused on the practical facets of community working, farming, and living in Hawaii. I've explored the beneficial lessons learned, insights gathered, values elevated, and behaviors slowly re-conditioned. But I have yet to unpack, in a...
Farm Life and Lessons Learned
We rarely embark upon new journeys with the explicit intention of exposing ourselves to difficult things. More often than not, people begin work exchange Hawaii as a trip, break, or excursion. Sure, people seek out new experiences that they know might broaden their...
Local Organic Farms in Hawaii Will Change Your Values
There is so much joy in working on local organic farms in Hawaii. Yes, there is hardship, squabbling, and the ever-present worry about the future that our meritocratic society has driven into me since kindergarten. But working on local organic farms in Hawaii has also...
5 Critical Skills for Living in Community
Think back to a time when someone asked you what you wanted to do with your life. What was your response? If you're like most people, you probably described a vocation or profession you wanted to go into, or maybe a skill or hobby that you wanted to develop. Perhaps...
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