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 strict practices, we invite an array of perspectives on nutrition, sustainable living, and holistic health. It is our objective in crafting a holistic, open-ended, and accepting philosophy and community to create the best farm stay Hawaii has to offer.
What exactly is a farm stay, and what sets Gingerhill apart as (what we believe is) the best farm stay Hawaii has to offer? Read on to find out.
Making Sustainability Accessible
Gingerhill has welcomed individuals from all walks of life into our community. Some are simply seeking a getaway, an escape from the stressful social ills of modern living. Others are students or young adults who are interested in learning more about agriculture and community. And still others are experienced, highly skilled individuals looking to make a long-term commitment and contribution to a community of like-minded individuals.
We believe Gingerhill is the best farm stay Hawaii has to offer because we provide multiple avenues for learning about sustainability. Our objective is to meet the unique needs of as many individuals as we can. In so doing, we seek to render the knowledge of agriculture and sustainability accessible to as many demographic groups as possible. To do so, we provide three opportunities for education: vacation stays, interning, and volunteering.
Providing Multiple Venues for Education
We currently offer three different opportunities for individuals to enter our community and to both teach and learn from us. We offer elegant, simple, and scenic vacation rentals to vacationers who want to forego the classic resort experience in favor of the most relaxing and enriching farm stay Hawaii has to offer. Guests are encouraged to schedule farm tours to learn more about sustainable agriculture in Hawaii. In an effort to teach people about the essentialness and pleasure of organic, sustainably grown food, we provide farm-to-table organic meals. Yoga and cooking classes are also available to guests interested in learning more about holistic healing.
We also provide opportunities for individuals seeking a long term stay. For those who are inexperienced in agriculture, we offer one and three month internship programs. Interns function as integral members of the farm community, completing farm tasks alongside staff and learning through everyday practice. We also accept volunteers with highly specialized skill sets who are willing to commit to Gingerhill long-term. Both interns and volunteers have the opportunity to enjoy farm-to-table meals, sustainable agriculture, yoga, meditation, and various community activities.
Growing Quality Food
Another thing that makes us a great farm stay Hawaii has to offer is our emphasis on growing quality food. We strive to treat the earth, our guests, and our community with respect. For us, that means practicing agricultural methods that require few inputs and zero pesticides, herbicides, and harmful chemicals.
Guests, interns, and volunteers have the opportunity to learn how to grow, prepare, and enjoy quality food. Our efforts begin in the garden, where we combine various agricultural methods to grow healthy, organic fruits and vegetables. Syntropic farming, agroforestry, permaculture, and Korean natural farming comprise the primary inspiration for our practices. That means that we use few external inputs and instead make our own compost and fertilizer. Instead of hauling of green waste, we use it as mulch or fertilizer for plants. Instead of practicing mono-cropping and eroding the soil, we arrange companion plantings to mimic the surrounding ecosystem.
Inspired by the work in the garden and the food on their plates, our farm stay Hawaii residents find inspiration to grow and consume sustainable food outside of our farm.
Building Community
Community building is becoming an ever-greater component of our operation at Gingerhill. It is perhaps our increasing emphasis on community that renders us the best farm stay Hawaii has to offer.
We are working hard to build a team of dedicated individuals with similar ideals to fulfill our vision of educating the world. Doing so requires fostering ties outside of the fields and the kitchen. We hold weekly meetings wherein we check in with one another and discuss any community or logistical issues. We enjoy lunch and dinner together Monday through Friday. And, often, we spend our free time hanging out together, or spend holidays and birthdays with one another.
The community as the social unit may just be the component of sustainable living that is missing from other models. Having cohesive values and a sense of camaraderie simplify efforts to build toward a better future. It is more enjoyable to farm, cook, and live alongside people with whom you identify. Community living is difficult, and it requires a lot of hard work and communication. Gingerhill is working hard to make the efforts worth it.
