Mahi‘āina Assistant (One-year apprenticeship through Kupu)
(Honoka‘a, Hawai‘i Island)

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The Kohala Center is pleased to offer a one-year, full-time, paid apprenticeship at Nāmoku, our demonstration farm in Honoka‘a. This rewarding opportunity is being offered through Kupu ‘Āina Corps and the successful candidate will be employed by Kupu and supervised by The Kohala Center’s team of ‘āina practitioners.

We are seeking a community member interested in (re)turning ancestral knowledge and research into daily practice by pursuing a career in farming, food production, soil fertility, and/or strengthening local food systems through both ancestral and contemporary approaches. This opportunity to engage with, learn from, and work in service to ‘āina aligns with our long-term vision of a state of pono by (1) deepening meaningful and vital pilina between ‘āina and kānaka, (2) returning soil to a state of ‘āina momona once again through traditional and modern regenerative methods, (3) providing more fresh, healthy food to improve local food security, and (4) contributing to healthier island communities.

COMPENSATION: $20/hour + benefits (Visit https://kupuhawaii.org/aina for details)
DURATION: July 17, 2023 – July 13, 2024

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

  • Assist with daily maintenance of farm plots and greenhouse that support canoe crops (the largest collection of kalo varieties across the pae ‘āina; kō; ‘awa), seed crops, and fruit orchard.
  • Maintenance activities include weeding; irrigation system checks and reconfiguration; planting, cultivation, and harvesting; keeping greenhouse and other on-site facilities clean and well organized.
  • Assist with on-farm composting, vermiculture, cover cropping, rotational/succession plantings.
  • Operate light farm equipment such as weed wackers.
  • Support and participate in on-farm educational programs such as Ōhāhā Mahi ‘Ai, Ōhāhā High School AgriCULTURE Program, ‘Ohana Days, and visits by school and community groups.
  • Network with local small farms and ‘āina-based organizations.
  • Engage in daily kilo to anticipate weather changes and deepen understanding of the natural cycles and indicators present at Nāmoku.
  • Participate in organization-wide professional development opportunities.

REQUIREMENTS:

  • Must be between the ages of 17 to 38 for the duration of the program term to be eligible for participation.
  • Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
  • Must be responsible for personal housing and transportation arrangements on-island.

TO APPLY:
Email your resume and statement of interest by Friday, June 16, to Liam Kernell at lkernell@kohalacenter.org. Questions? Contact Ka‘iana Runnels at krunnels@kohalacenter.org.

Posted: May 31, 2023