The great thing about living in Hawai’i is that food crops grow all year here. We are especially lucky that we have a wide range of edible plants that are perennial in our tropical climate. No more need to have to replant every year? Sign me up! I...
Sweet Potatoes are such a useful plant that every Hawaiian garden should have some growing. They are very prolific, easy to grow and have been cultivated in the islands since before Captain Cook’s arrival. To grow sweet potatoes, you’ll need a...
The dream of going off grid has never been more popular. With sky-high housing prices, pandemics and all the political chaos sweeping the globe, heading off to a quiet, simple home away from all of that is pretty tempting. Lucky for us, the state of Hawaii...
Composting toilets have become increasingly popular since I began using one over 20 years ago. Because of that, the idea of their use has become more acceptable, not only by the public but the government as well. In the state of Hawai’i, compost toilets...
Bamboo is the world’s most useful plant. It is used for making furniture, building homes, for trellises in the garden, as a musical instrument and so much more. In order to use it properly, one must determine the age of the bamboo culm before...
You may have noticed as you travel across Hawai’i or other locations in a tropical climate that many of the homes are built off the ground on what is called a post and pier foundation. What is the purpose of that design? Why not just build a slab on the...
Everyone knows that Hawaii is a plant paradise, but few know the real secrets before you get here. Hawaii is filled with a variety of microclimates, from dry deserts to lush rain forests. What may grow well in one area may not grow in another. There...
It rains so much in parts of Hawaii that a good percentage of residents only have access to rainwater to fulfill all of their household water needs. Lucky for us, systems are pretty easy to install. If you have been curious about how to harvest rainwater, whether you...
We all know what rain is, but how many of us have actually considered harvesting it to use at home? You may feel comfortable using it for common household uses such as running a load of laundry or flushing a toilet, but did you know it can be used to shower in...
Hawai’i is a paradise for going Off-Grid. More and more people are making the move. With ample sunshine, rainfall and year-round growing seasons, living is easy in the Aloha State. With that easy living comes a high cost of living, but it doesn’t have to...
