Community Outreach: West Kaua'i Community Shade Houses
The vision behind this project, driven by Resilient Roots, is to provide support to local businesses and farmers to grow and prosper in the early stages of their operations, as well as to promote the foundation of every food-related product: Agriculture. By propagating thousands of fruit trees and donating them to farmers, we aim to help establish a strong and sustainable agricultural sector in local communities, which will in turn benefit our company and consumers alike. This project is focused on the future of agriculture, and our commitment to building a resilient food system.
"The West Kaua'i Community Shade Houses is a 3-acre property featuring 10 3000 square-foot shade structures. I was fortunate to acquire this space in 2020, which had previously been abandoned for a few years. We secured a lease for this location from Corteva. The process took a while, particularly during the Covid pandemic, but after months of negotiations, we were able to move in and begin operations in March 2021. Gay & Robinson have been supportive of our project, providing us with our own access road and assistance with any water issues. Through our efforts, we have been able to propagate and donate hundreds of fruit trees to farmers and the community, with the goal of increasing self-sufficiency. These trees, including 271 breadfruit, 174 mango, and 224 cacao, will provide food for hundreds and support the growth of Kauai's agricultural economy. Currently, there’s been 19 tenants and 14 current tenants using the West Kaua'i Community Shade Houses to expand their businesses.
If you're interested in becoming a tenant at The West Kauai Community Shade Houses, please email me at Emilio@resilientrootshawaii.com with your plan for what you want to grow and a timeline for how you plan to do it. Please note that there is currently a waiting list and some of the shade houses are being shared by multiple tenants. It's also important to note that synthetic pesticides and herbicides are not allowed on the 3 acres.
"As an entrepreneur, I understand the challenges of generating cash flow, particularly when starting a new venture. To help alleviate this, I suggest that tenants voluntarily contribute 10% of their crop or sales, not exceeding $50 per month, to the project. This is a suggestion and not a requirement."
"If you're interested in supporting our project, please note that we are a for-profit company and donations will not be tax-deductible. However, your support will help us acquire the necessary tools and equipment to become self-sufficient."
