Squash and Awe Guerilla Farm

Squash and Awe is a boutique heirloom squash farm in Kamuela on Hawaii island. It began as a garden intended to save a rare, flavorful kabocha squash. With the vines quickly taking over, it seemed that I had a hand for growing pumpkins. After a bit of squash promotion, I took a leap of faith and a business was born. Putting in a lot of dedicated shoveling since April of 2013, it has grown into a guerilla farm of over 15 varieties of from around the world that are primarily sold direct to the fine chefs of Hawaii island. I am conducting an intensive study of historic seed varieties that can be grown commercially in our region, without the use of sprays and using a no till soil building practice. A few thousand pounds of fresh heirloom squash were created in the first season. In October, a soil building and educational outreach initiative was launched. Every time a restaurant or business donates materials to help build my soil, I donate a class to help build our community. This farm model is unconventional, but it is growing in momentum, building bridges within communities. Involved in the arts, activism, education, and all things "outside the box," Squash and Awe is a project that I hope will encourage others to "stop talking, start doing."