Haleakala

This weekend we went hiking & camping up at Haleakala. Translating to "House of the Sun", Haleakala summits at 10,023 feet... giving way to breathtaking views of Maui, Big Island, and the crater. We hiked down into the crater on the Sliding Sands Trail with three others we have been hiking with nearly every weekend. The hike down was filled with warm sunshine and big, beautiful white clouds against an oh-so blue sky. Glad we got in the nice weather so we could enjoy the views! The terrain here makes you feel as though you are literally on another planet. On our return the clouds had engulfed us meaning cooler temps & light rain. Adam & Justin had decided to hike further into the crater but the remainder of us made it back to the cars before getting caught in anything too cold & wet. Good thing for everyone cause that seems about the time I would start complaining.... there are in fact times I justify complaining in Hawaii. & being cold and wet is one of them.

Craig and I set up camp while waiting to hear from Justin & Adam. Once we knew they were alive and well, we ventured through the nature trail that was adjacent to camp. Incredible. The rain had just stopped, leaving the forest in a perfectly peaceful state. We enjoyed walking through the eucalyptus trees and discovering some new plants & birds. Once we were all back at camp we enjoyed some good food and many laughs at camp while Adam attempted to make a fire from lighter fuel intended to fill lighters. After using the whole bottle, he managed to get a steak out of it... the looks of it reassured my decision to be vegetarian.

Sunday morning we woke up at 5:30 and drove back to the summit to catch the sunrise. Absolutely breathtaking. Totally worth my feet going completely numb and making me feel as though I was walking on stumps. I eventually got sensation back once we were in the truck.

Later in the afternoon we attended a satsang in Haiku with Ram Dass and Peter Russell. Very grateful I was able to see Ram Dass speak in person. The theme of the discussion was Paths to Freedom. All three hours were filled with beautiful smiles, words, and energy. Yet another part of Maui that inspires me to be a better person and live my life to the fullest.

Greenleaf!

So I've been living on Greenleaf Farm now for close to five weeks. Time truly does go fast when you're having FUN! There is so much I have done and learned in these five weeks; it is exciting to see what the next couple months will bring. Greenleaf is located in the Upcountry of Maui, around 2,000 feet elevation... creating the ideal weather conditions especially for farming. The days are warm and nights are cool... if we are looking for a hot sunny afternoon all we have to do is drive 15 minutes down the highway to sea level. Not too bad!

Greenleaf is a 2 acred permaculture farm that grows for both the farmers market and CSA. There are three main gardens: Herb, Cloud, and Market. All throughout the property are fruit trees: avocado, banana, orange, cherimoya, tangerine, lime, lemon, mulberry, grapefruit, pomelo, papaya, loquat, and a couple other I'm still trying to learn how to pronounce. Some of the other smaller gardens have pineapple, yacon, and taro. There are so many herbs, fruits, and vegetables all over... I am still discovering new things everyday. Although I have an affinity to the veggies and fruits, my favorite part is the CHICKENS! Chicken behavior is so interesting and if I'm ever in need of a quick smile or laugh, I just have to go hang with the ladies for a minute. Truly the best entertainment.

Once a week we have a community dinner that includes the WWOOFers plus Bill & Marta. Marta and I have the same love for raw foods and desserts; it has been great collaborating with her in the kitchen. Endless creations can be made with a dehydrator, blender, juicer and a creative mind. Not to mention all the fresh farm ingredients and local goodies like macadamia nuts and coconut! The raw desserts we have made have been OUTSTANDING. yum yum yum. Seconds are highly encouraged.

If I started trying to sum up my experiences and this place I'd probably write for days, so as I continue with future posts I'll be sure to fill in gaps. Enjoy some pictures of the farm!