Farming Resources
Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms
WWOOF®
WWOOF is part of a worldwide effort to link visitors with organic farmers, promote an educational exchange, and build a global community conscious of ecological farming practices. Visitors, spend about half of each day helping out on a farm, learn about organic agriculture, and receive free room and board during their visit.
American Agri-Women (AAW)
American Agri-Women is the nation’s largest coalition of farm, ranch and agribusiness women with more than 50 state, commodity and agribusiness affiliate organizations, united to communicate with one another and with other consumers to promote agriculture. AAW members have been advocating for agriculture since 1974.
Crop Summaries by Island
The 2015 Baseline is intended as a tool to promote a shared understanding of where and what Hawaii currently farms and ranches, and how Hawaii’s agriculture has re-emerged following the loss of nearly 300,000 ac. of plantation agriculture over the last 35 years.
Article: How to Obtain Grant Money to Start a Farm
Article: US Statistics on Women & Minorities on Farms & in Rural Areas
2012 Census of Agriculture: Asian Farmers
Farm Answers: the Largest Source of Information for Beginning Farmers
The Farmland Access Toolbox
Farming requires land, but land can be hard to come by. This toolbox contains tools that will help you build your farm including tools that help you analyze a lease arrangement or farmland purchase, as well as tools to set up your lease.
Increasing Farmworker Housing on Hawai‘i Island (County of HI, Oct 2020)
Hawaii’s Agricultural Gateway
A collection of agricultural links. Many are broken, but there are some helpful nuggets in there.
USDA - New Farmers: Women in Ag
From historic homesteaders to contemporary cattle ranchers, women have been the cornerstone of America’s agriculture heritage. The 2012 Census of Agriculture notes that nearly 1 million women are working America’s lands. That is nearly a third of our nation’s farmers. Together, these women are generating $12.9 billion in annual agricultural sales.
USDA: Funding
Farmers and ranchers have a critical insight when it comes to improving their systems. Whether they need to limit off-farm inputs, reduce erosion, create more time for family or community activities, learn marketing skills, or find other ways to enhance their livelihoods, farmers and ranchers can turn to the North Central Region SARE (NCR-SARE) for grant opportunities and information. In 1992, NCR-SARE began a competitive Farmer Rancher Grant Program exclusively to fund farmers and ranchers striving for agricultural sustainability.
Farmland Information Center
A clearinghouse for information about farmland protection and stewardship developed by American Farmland Trust in partnership the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The FIC offers an online collection of laws, literature, sample documents and statistics and a team of information specialists who provide direct technical assistance to anyone interested in saving farm or ranch land.
“Finding Land to Farm: Six Ways to Secure Farmland.”
USDA Partners, the National Center for Appropriate Technology and The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service have collaborated on a guide, available both online and in print
State of Hawaii - Dept of Agriculture: Funding Resources
This list of funding sources is solely based on public information already disseminated by the listed entities. It is a collection put together to facilitate a one-stop access to such agricultural-related funding sources.
Small Business Grants for Women
Are you a woman looking to make additional money by starting your own business but can’t because you just don’t have the funds yet to start out? Possibly you have a business but need help funding your next step to achieve the growth you desire. Everyday there are millions of dollars of funding that is given directly to small business owners! In fact, Entrepreneur magazine stated in a recent article that “$50 million in SBA loans were being provided per day to U.S. small businesses”.
USDA: Beginning Farmer & Rancher Loans
America's next generation of farmers and ranchers are supported through FSA's "Beginning Farmer" direct and guaranteed loan programs. Farm Ownership loans can provide access to land and capital. Operating loans can assist beginning farmers in become prosperous and competitive by helping to pay normal operating or family living expenses; open doors to new markets and marketing opportunities; assist with diversifying operations; and so much more. Through the Microloan programs, beginning farmers and ranchers have an important source of financial assistance during the start-up years.
Hawaii Agriculture Foundation
Hawaiʻi Agricultural Foundation (HAF) is a non-profit organization created to promote agriculture and farming. Created in 2007 (initially as The Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, and renamed The Hawaiʻi Agricultural Foundation in 2010), the mission of HAF is to support and sustain Hawaiʻi’s agricultural industry by addressing critical needs and services of farmers and the agricultural industry in Hawaiʻi, and by better connecting the farmers with the community and vice-versa. This involves educational and outreach programs in the community, as well as direct marketing, technical, educational and in-the-field support for farmers.
Structure Resources
Bamboo Living
Maker of bamboo tiny houses, based on the Big Island. Prices are very reasonable.
Hawaii Revised Statutes 46-88 – Agricultural buildings and structures; exemptions from building permit and building code requirements
2019. 46-88 Agricultural buildings and structures; exemptions from building permit and building code requirements. (a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the following agricultural buildings, structures, and appurtenances thereto that are not used as dwellings or lodging units are exempt from building permit and building code requirements where they are no more than one thousand square feet in floor area.
Maui Goddess article: Hawaii is the perfect place for tiny houses
Article: Tiny Home in the Floodplain
Agriculture Building Exemption Form
Honolulu Container Sales & Rental
Container Storage of Hawaii
Whether you need standard ISO containers for shipping or storage, or require a custom container for your next project, make us your first call. From simple modifications to highly customized containers for specific usage, Container Storage has the experience and dedication to provide exactly what you need at a budget that you can afford. Tour our site to find out how exciting, economical and environmentally friendly working with containers can be. We are here to help you through every phase of you project.
Aloha Tiny Hales
GET A 1 BED 1 BATH TINY HOME STARTING AT $34,000
OR GET THE OFF-GRID, SUSTAINABLE
WATER, SOLAR-POWERED, AIR CONDITIONED HOME STARTING AT 90k!
Based in Maui but deliver interisland. All sorts of options.
Maui Eco Built
Ohana Yurts
watch their blog for sales https://ohanayurts.com/yurt-blog/
Yurts of Hawaii
Located on the Big Island of Hawai’i, Yurts of Hawai’i helps design yurts best suited to your needs and budget.
We provide custom drafting and permitting services, enabling your visions to become a reality. Whether a yurt with a loft, a large deck, two-storied or simple, just draw us a sketch and watch it come to life. We also walk our plans through the permitting process saving you time, hassle and money.
Yurts of America pricing
Good examples of various types of yurts.
Containers Hawaii
Purchase a standard, high-cube, office, refurbished or custom modified freight, cargo, shipping container today, for as low as $3,900
Hawaii Container Solutions
Competitive Pricing – We offer the lowest prices on the Islands. We'll do our best to get you the best deal possible.
Selection - We inventory hundreds of containers, 10', 20', 40', hi-cube, one-trip new or used.
Quality – With over 10 years experience and hundreds of satisfied customers, we take pride in the quality of our work.
Tay & McKay Tiny House
It all started when…
I love the story of our tiny house because it is one of crafting something beautiful with family amidst the unusual/unforeseen circumstances 2020 has served to the world. Like so many others when COVID-19 hit, all of our business was cancelled. Two weeks into the shutdown I woke up one morning dreaming of using this time to pursue a previous, but tucked away, desire to build a tiny house. Michaella and I have always liked the idea of tiny living. I pitched the idea to my dear friends Greg & Joy Huffman (who are like a mom & pap to us) and Ike Huffman. Greg has extensive experience in construction, and Joy is an experienced designer/home planner while my brother in law, Ike Huffman is a finish carpenter. We dreamed, conceptualized, and decided to go for it.
We poured our hearts into designing and building a beautiful tiny house. This design is a marriage of modern styling and Scandinavian minimalism that incorporates impressive architectural features with spatial organization to maximize square footage.
High end, about $99K
Big Island Lava Zone Map
We want to be in lava zone 8 or 9
County of Kauai -
Building Quick Start Guide
The information contained here is to enable you with complete and accurate information on what is required from you, the applicant, to ensure the best possible turnover time in obtaining your building permit.
How Do I Get Started?
You begin by completing a Building Permit Application and a Zoning Application.
The Building Permit Application can be obtained from the Building Division. The Zoning Application can be obtained from the Planning Department. Our application forms are a special carbon type format. Because of this form type requirement, we are currently unable to provide these applications online.
County of Kauai - Building Division Operations
Building Division office is open MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. Front counter hours of operation are 7:15 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. daily.
Customers should have their permit application(s) completed before approaching the front counter.
New Building Permit Applications may now be accepted via email by filling out the form below and submitting to building@kauai.gov
Tiny Pacific Houses
My name is Brandon Hardin, born and raised in Hawai‘i, graduate of Kamehameha Schools class of 2007. I played football at Oregon State University and in 2012 I was drafted in the 3rd round of NFL Draft to the Chicago Bears.
My sports career allowed me the opportunity to serve the community and introduced me to the Tiny House Movement that was serving the homeless at Opportunity Village Eugene, Oregon.
Soon after my initial visit to Opportunity Village I started Tiny Pacific Houses to provide Tiny Houses to all of Hawai‘i.
~$50-85K