Since I've been through the whole Hippy Homestead thing in the 70's I have settled for maximum creature comforts in my old age. We have all the luxuries of home and run everything from the car to the chainsaw on sunlight. Love it. Aloha
I lived there. Like you said , it isn't for everybody. very good experience. now residing in mexico and still trying to grow food and learn by trial and error.
People ask me questions about living so I try my best to answer. For most people I suspect there are better places to live. Puna is special and only a percentage of Americans would fit in here. If you are Native Hawaiian, an artist, old hippy, biker, farmer, or wood worker you will probably do fine here. For the rest the dream of paradise can be a nightmare. Growing food isn't too hard but learning the local conditions will control your success. Aloha
@@GreenGardenGuy1 Puna IS special. Sorry those hot ponds got covered up. I spend many times there with my grandchildren and ate my first wild picked lilikoi which turns out to be my favorite fruit which i have eaten and grown here in Mex. Saludos.
@@teresatrigiani7838 The hot ponds were fun. All good things come to an end eventually. Change is the only thing that remains the same. I just keep going with the flow, the lava flow!
I just "discovered" you, and find your vids extremely enjoyable ... born and raised here, and I learn stuff from a different perspective as listening to you ... even taking things for granted but you put things into perspective !
Glad you dropped in. Subscribe and press the bell for notifications. Production varies but there is usually a new video once or twice a week. I'm glad you gain some different perspectives in point of view. Aloha
I felt like I was out on the porch listening to you. In the rain, no less. :) I'm glad to see your channel, and you're right, a place people want to be is NOT a cheap place. There's a reason it's expensive, even if it's Puna. I've been hoping to move out there myself, but I've never even been, so my goal is 3 trips of at least a week each, in order to really get a feel for the neighborhoods, microclimates, safety of various areas, and my most important requirement - what I can grow! Hopefully there are farm or homestead tours I can arrange. I'm excited already, just thinking about it.
Desirable real estate has competition for ownership and is limited availability hence higher price. Lower grade real estate has fewer buyers and lower prices. Low priced real estate in Hawaii generally reflects something undesirable about the parcel. I just posted a brand new video on this subject. ruclips.net/video/YhwJVd8ys5c/видео.html Spending time scoping out the area is a great idea.
Puna today and Puna 48 years ago don't resemble each other much. Puna 10 years ago doesn't look much like the modern version. The 1970s was a period were local population actually dropped rather than increased. Today things are growing rapidly with climate problems on the mainland and political insanity in Washington. We still support human rights in Hawaii and support the principles of separations between church and state. For now we are still a good place to live but with all the people trying to escape the madness on the continent they will likely bring it all with them. Have a good look before it's gone.
The only way to burn slash in Hawaii is if you are an agricultural business and have a permit to do so. Home owners burning slash or trash is illegal because of pollution. Here are the rules. health.hawaii.gov/cab/files/2013/05/openburningfaq_2012.pdf The materials can be hauled to green waste facilities. One in Hilo, one in Keaau. This is sort of a waste thought. All the value in tropical soils is in the vegetation. If you burn or haul the waste you lose all the nutrients in the land. Best to chip it on sight and use it for mulch or get a guy with a brush hog to grind it right as it stood. If it was to be burned then pyrolytic conversion into biochar would be preferable. Since this is done in O2 deprived environments the pollution is minor.
Bill , Thank you again for all your great advice.....I am getting closer... dogs are 1/2 way through quarantine.... house is on the market... getting excited. Aloha!🤙
Glad you gave an example of aloha with the stuck car. Made me tear with pride. A friendly correction, 'ohana is a Hawaiian word and concept. Being a hula dancer, I took Hawaiian language courses at UH-Manoa to help me understand what I was dancing.Glad to see this vid. Imua Bill. Kahoa
No one has ever called me wholesome before. I don't think I fit that description. I censor myself on you tube. What you see is the sanitized version. Drop by the house for a beer and you get a different impression.
great video. Very informative. When ever the questions of how we progress, overcome difficulty and maintain a standard for the rest of the world. People like you who take the time to explain and educate. Thank you
I just stumbled upon your video and I'm so excited! My heart is set on moving to the BI and your videos are so informative! I have a ton of questions!! Lol
That isn't too far from my location. It is a very different landscape though. Generally a lot of guava jungle on lava rock. Perhaps you have a spot that has been ripped and graded though. Best of luck, Aloha
@@J9coughlin One step at a time. Materials are so high right now that they will likely come down. Great timing. I see a lot of earth work lately. The work hasn't gone up as much as the material. Be prepared to deal with the jungle returning after ripping. Developing a plan for suppression of the jungle will be of value. Aloha
I live in Waikaloa and had rental.house in Waimea. Sold both after the volcano 🌋 vog overtook that side of the island. Coming back in February. My brother owns in Maui and extended Ohana in Oahu. I loved living on Big Island. Being bi-costal is hard, I’ll see what I can find as a Hawaiian National. Miss being home, where my heart is. Would love to buy you lunch and talk story. Lots of great 👍🏽 stories to tell. From NYC....Aloha, many mahalos.
Lunch is a magic word in my world. Wow, by Monday we might even be able to do just that. I see you already know, when the volcano blows the west side can become unbearable. I really didn't end up here because of any desire to live in Hawaii. The place sort of found me so I didn't resist. Can't complain. With the country sick, burning and half crazy life in Puna is quite normal if I turn off the TV.
You're welcome. I had enough questions about living here so I decided to do this video even though it had little to do with gardening. Thank you for the response.
Aloha Bill! We are moving to BI Puna soon. You mention subdivisions you would not even drive into.,. would you mind giving me to down low on said subdivisions. I am femaie and surely would like to avoid such places. I sure would appreciate it. I loved this video and thanks for the info on the cucerbits!
The main reason I stay out of some areas is the roads. They are private and in terrible shape. I own a Bolt EV, not a Hummer or a Jeep. The roads would destroy my vehicle. The further back you go in any subdivision the worse the culture is. The cockroaches who run meth labs don't live on main roads. They hide out in the woods where no one will find them. You can get a good idea about an area with google earth. If the yards are full of junk cars, the roofs are rusty and they have no solar collectors you are probably looking at a ghetto. If the yards are neat or planted in crops, the houses painted and they have collectors you can figure it is a decent area.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 thank you! I’m “concerned” about theft etc more than roads. Lol. I do have 4wdr not a hummer LOL or a land rover but 4wdr. I just found your channel. I have been watching and VERY MUCH enjoying your knowledge and humor. Oh BTW, I never even thought of pineapple pie…. REVELATION! Can’t wait to try to make one myself. Have a good day. Mahalo!
@@eyeofthetiger4361 Anywhere there is a road you find theft. The worst the road the more likely you live with cockroaches. Roads, rust and junk cars are the easiest ways to figure the area.
The big island of Hawaii is probably more conservative than the other islands. The island is perfect for growing your own food and appreciating nature. If you can get by the isolation of simply being a 6 hour flight from the mainland you can make it here. Island hopping is fun too
Actually the biggest lump of conservative politics exists on Oahu. They were always opposing more liberal thinking that came from Big Island representatives. I assume you are referring to political views when you say the Island is conservative. The west side of this Island is definitely more conservative than the eastern side. Some crops are easy to grow here but many others that are common on the mainland are nearly impossible here. After having spent 64 years living on the mainland I would say the 6 hour isolation is the best part of this island. The Mainland has little going for it that would make me want to leave my home here. I haven't seen the continent for over 6 years and I do not feel I am missing much. I've been to Maui and Oahu but I prefer the Big Island. Aloha
@@GreenGardenGuy1 i also prefer big island but I when I mean by conservative in regards to covid policies as we do not require vaccine proof for dining / events like on Oahu. Covid laws are more strict on Other islands.
@@Native2Earth I see. I realize some rather silly people have tried to make a virus a political issue. Because of this there is the inverse logic that following medical guide lines is some how liberal and defying them is conservative. For real the virus doesn't care what a persons belief system might be. We are all equal and free to get sick if we wish under this virus. I see the lack of carding on this Island as mostly being a matter of numbers. We only have 190,000 people on 4000 sq miles of land. Lots of room to cough around here. Oahu you are coughing in some one else's face.
@@GreenGardenGuy11) Covid has unfortunately become political. The cdc itself and multiple news organizations are funded by Pfizer / J&J and they literally end shows saying this program was brought to you by Pfizer etc. 2) Big pharma does not surpass the constitution and liberals tend to not care about individual rights in the guise of “helping fellow man”. Many states have abandoned all mandates and are not experiencing widespread deaths. The vaccine does not prevent you from passing the virus and you can still get infected so all it can do is mitigate the severity of your infection with additional boosters or just by being healthy (they don’t want you to do that $$) The masks make people feel like they are helping although it’s more like they are slowing down the inevitable. Which is that everyone will get covid and it’s the new common cold. This is the science proven by data but it doesn’t make money so it will take awhile for people to accept it. 3) Dining rooms and pavilions have the same square footage regardless of which island. Restaurants are even bigger on the smaller islands. Hawaii has a lot of overweight unhealthy people and they are right to be scared of the possibility of widespread infection but it’s already here and it’s too late. - But luckily I’ve started a garden in puna and have been inspired by people like you so I’m glad you are doing your part in providing the neighborhood with fruits and vegetables which are the foundation for a good immune system. Thank you for your service to the community 🤙🏾
Hello gentlemen, can either of you comment on the supposed drug culture in the Puna district? I don’t mean to romanticize nor demonize it but having grown up playing in bands in San Francisco when it was still a music city (before tech ruined it) I’ve experienced both. Are folks there trying to be more connected to a higher consciousness and be more creative or are they taking a shit in the middle of the street and stealing your stuff or worst yet, physical danger? Any thoughts or opinions greatly appreciated. Mahalo
I will assume you are referring to Hawaiian Paradise Parks? I have never heard of Hawaiian Parks and it doesn't google. Paradise Parks is up scale next to the Ocean and a few blocks in. It is decent along Hwy 130 and the most of the main roads. There are places in between that don't look so good. As I tell everyone, you must have your boots on the ground here to make any choices. This is the strangest market in the USA. Paradise park is low elevation and quiet warm. It is entirely A'a and Pahoehoe lava. It is also dangerously close to Lava Zones 1 & 2.
back in the 60's Puna was the place to go to build. Now the volcano has wiped it clean, so sad to see that beautiful part of the big Island run over. I had many friends that built non permitted homes that were very hard to insure and they all lost everything. There are still nice areas that were not touched by Pele, and what I hear you can't build in that area anymore. It's now area 3 as far as the lava zones go. It's still a beautiful area of the Big Island. Aloha Nui Loa.
The state made a mistake by subsidizing insurance in lava zones one and two. The error is clear today. The reason they did this was to help provide cheap land to locals and stop the exodus. It was well meaning in heart but dumb in the face of volcanic reality. The evidence that the area would always be a hazard was clear. We do a lot of things that make no sense. This was one of them. On the other hand, most of my friends that lost homes and farms in that area made a killing on the insurance claims. Relocation to up graded property was easy. One friend who lost a tree farm has moved on to harvesting lava for architectural projects. He has made lemonade out of a sour situation.
I like when you said here people have time, stop to talk is what most of us lack nowadays. When I was young my grandpa who adopted me could walk past anyone & carry on a full blown conversation but only if the other person gave time nowadays its hard to come by. Im from Indianapolis which its not too common that you will see people waive at you or carry on a conversation but anyway as a truck driver ive been everywhere in the midland besides the farthest upper NE states but anyway I found that almost everyone in Mississippi specially around the delta of Mississippi is very friendly & waive i love it so now im loving this video. Sorry bout the run on sentences
Thank you for the comment. I rode a bicycle from Chicago to Arizona back in the early 70's. My experience indicates there are really good people all across this country. Some places people are more open. In Chicago I seldom lifted my eyes to a stranger. In Hawaii people will just smile as they pass. Can't tell anyone though with the masks.
Bad roads make good neighbors is what they always say. Can't really get used to "civilized", I've got a bit more of a wild west mindset. I definitely have that odd set of parameters. Thanks for another good video Bill!
Bad roads make for broken suspension, dead shocks and tired tires. The poem was "Good fences make good neighbors". Living on a navigable hwy tend to indicate some higher level thinking. Things like going to the store or getting to the doctor take priority on a good road over hiding out from the world on some lava ridge. I love long driveways but dislike bad roads.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 the right wing pidgeons of the mainland may cause a bit more desire for distance and isolation on the mainland than on the big island. That list of parameters may vary by location.
@@mountain-man0 Most of those fools do not come here. Hawaii is the most liberal and socialistic state of the Union. People of color rule here. The red hat flag wavers hate socialists and can not stand living near people who are not white. We are light on Christians here, more secular people here than most states. Women have culturally had rights here, LBGQ people have been venerated as special in the culture and are often shamans. We have the most strict gun laws in the USA and worse, Aloha and Ohana at deeply ingrained in the culture. There is nothing here for Red hats, everything they despise is common here. Red hats choke to death trying to even say ALOHA.
Great video Bill! I love the big island the first time I visited and my love for it grows more with your videos. you ever tried or seen anyone grow rice? How many percent is property tax in puna? Many thanks
The greatest obstacle to rice here is the soil drains as fast as sand. You can't make a paddy. There are strains of highland rice that might grow but California grown rice is so cheap here that it is hardly worth the effort. The Waipio Valley is one of the few areas where rice might be grown but the native kalo is raised there instead. Property tax is complicated here. It is all based on assessment and rate but the rate varies a lot due to discounts. There is one discount if the only home you own is in Hawaii. There is another discount for seniors that is two tiered. You get one at 60 and a second one at 70. There are also agricultural discounts. You see the problem, everyone pays differently. I have two discounts that amount to a reduction of near $200,000 against the assessed value. In short, if you live here long enough to grow old taxes are very cheap.
I’m not retired yet, but I’d like to see the price of the land or land with a house on it. Should i contact an agent to see a few options? Which part of Puna has the least restrictions on how small a house could be?
@@jodiethuy4122 Building codes are a county wide regulation. They apply uniformly across the Island. The only variations are some areas have home owners associations that use private regulations. If you are not ready to purchase then i wouldn't bother the realtors yet. If you are ready to start the process then it is time to shop for a good realtor. I used team Nakanishi in Hilo and recommend them. If you are just browsing then use the MLS. The easiest public portal to the MLS can be found at hilobrokers.com/ you can browse all property for sale in Hawaii from here.
I enjoy your channel so much. A lot of info everybody can gathers. I am wondering if road 8 in Hawaiian acres has enough warmth for rambutan and mango to bear fruits, not just grow leaves? Thank you kindly.
Elevation on that road varies but it is some where around 1200 feet to maybe 1000. I live at 1600 feet and I fruit Rambutan here. Road 8 is too high for commercial Rambutan production but fine for the home garden. If you want to make money on the fruit 500 feet and lower is better. Heat is not the problem with Mango in east Hawaii, it is too much rain at the wrong time of year. It ruins the flowers. I would give up on the South India mango varieties here and look at Indonesia jungle types like Casturi or Lejiwa. These are more rain proof and will fruit in upper Puna.
If the crops you grow are coffee or something that chickens won't damage then it is entirely possible to free range chickens in crops. In my case the chickens will destroy any vegetable produce, small nursery stock and pineapples which are the main crops I grow. Chickens can not be allowed free range here on the farm, they are far too destructive if left to themselves. The entire Island is infested with a hybrid swarm of wild chickens that range every where. In Puna wild chicken is the #1 bird. I trap and shoot dozens each month. Usually after I find my crops have been destroyed. Chickens much prefer crops to slugs for food. The only good news is the chicken is edible and there are no hunting regulations on them. You can kill and eat as many as you like with no permits. Natures bounty.
Just curious of how long you've lived in Puna. I stayed in Kalapana in 1985 for a year and I was trying to locate my father who I haven't seen in 30 years. His driveway was right across from queens bath. Were you there in the 80s.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 yes, I know that the lava took almost everything in Kalapana. That's when my father left. I spent many days at black sand beach and eating loco mocos at Walter Yamaguchis store. If you ever meet a guy in his 70s with the same firs and last name as me please let him know that I'm trying to reach him.
Hi Bill, I am planning to visit Big Island next year to look at vacant land. I was only in Hilo and Kona for 2 days the last time I was there in 2015. I don't remember much. I want to buy at least 2 acres to build my bamboo home when I have enough save up (5-10 years). I'm interested in Fern Acres. Do you recommend any other subdivision like it? I want good soil to grow fruit trees. I seen people with lava rock fence, is that cheap? I have 3 dogs that I want to bring. Thanks.
There is no soil in Fern Acres, the entire subdivision is A'a & Pahoehoe lava. The only subdivision around here that is entirely soil is Canney Farm lots. Soil is found in various areas usually in small spots. Around the town of mountain View there is a rather large region of soil. Lava rock fences are traditional. They are really cheap if you own the lava and build them yourself. If the rock is trucked in and contractors are hired they are very expensive. Regular hog wire farm fencing is the cheapest here. If you have dogs the lava wouldn't keep them in. Most folks with lava fence and animals usually have chain link fence topping the lava walls.
I am not happy with what I can grow on my small house lot in Coos Bay, OR. Looking for someplace else to retire in 4 to 6 years Without haveing to leave the USA, for Mexico, Asia, or South America.
Hawaii is definitely not for everyone. It is the most different state of the union. It is best to put in some time here with boots on the ground before thinking too hard about it. Lots of difference in property here and individuals have very different reactions to life here. A car is only good to go to the store or the beach you can't leave the Island without a plane and that has gotten more difficult lately. The land is so different here that it's back to class 101 farming.
Aloha, I am from Oahu and thinking of relocating to Puna. I am wondering which subdivisions you would personally avoid because of the meth addicts. Mahalo!
Since you can find people who use drugs in many areas the easiest way to figure it is if the price sounds to cheap then your neighbor is probably a meth dealer. Puna has a considerable spread in property pricing from really cheap to kind of expensive. Start from the top down, not the bottom up. Somewhere in the mid to upper mid level price you will find a fine place to live. The meth heads all live in the low rent districts. I hear things on the coconut telegraph but who knows what is true. Eden Rock subdivision in Mountain View has an awful reputation. I live on the road that goes in there and the police always go past my house in pairs of squads for back up. I know a lot of fine people that live back in there but the place has a reputation.
Hi - I guessin’ you live near Glenwood at 1600ft. We live near the bakery in Mtn View. Growing all sort of experimental ‘stuff’ n 25 acres. Thanks for your videos. Very informative. 🙂
Glenwood is 2000 and higher. I live in Canney Farm Lots on S, Kopua rd. I do experiment some but mostly I focus on crops that are reliable here. My whole point in doing this is to eat and make money.
GreenGardenGuy1 - Food and $, basic necessities in life. We live on Mauna Loa flow. I guess you do as well. I find the ‘soil’ here interesting. The top layer doesn’t drain at all and pools on top. Down about 4 ft we hit the lava rock zone and water drains away quickly. Root rot dominates from what I can tell. .
@@markmorrissey672 I'm sitting on 16 foot deep Andisol formed from volcanic ash that is supposed to have originated Mauna Kea thousands of years ago. To the south and east of here the same ash was covered several times by Kilauea lava. I appear to have gotten the bulk of the ash because Laura behind me only has 3 to 4 feet and Ben across the road has only a foot. Root rot isn't much of an issue because the stuff drains like sand. The only tree I have trouble with is Avocado on anything other than West Indian root stock. The soil has an organism that attacks the Guatemalan roots.
GreenGardenGuy1 - Ah yes. You’re right up the street. A mixture of Kilauea and Mauna Loa flow. I cleared (no trees, former cane land) 1/3 acre with my tractor here. Put pig fence around it and started hydroponics (for giggles during pandemic, really not much giggles 🙁), and am planting coffee, tea and whatever to see what grows here. Retired 4 years ago.
@@markmorrissey672 There are a lot of crops that grow around here. The challenge is finding one that doesn't drive you crazy, make you work too hard go broke. Nursery is good. Exotic crop seed production isn't bad. I have coffee and it is too much work. I've been pruning all the trees back to hold vanilla vines. They are work too but tedious, not hard. $500 per kilo is a reasonable price for a crop.
Have you tried green papaya as a vegetable like in Thai som tam or morning glory? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipomoea_aquatica to me morning glory is far superior to spinach, stays crunchy when cooked. Also have you considered Indian runner ducks for slug/snail/bug control? unlike chickens they don't scratch or peck veges and you can exclude them from an area with a very low fence(don't fly or jump) also prolific layers.
Yes, the green papaya salad is a favorite here. Every farmers market has a booth and the line is usually very long. I eat several each month. Yes, I have the "Water Spinach" morning glory in the nursery. It is an easy grow and edible. If I was to compare it to spinach if falls short but I grew up eating and growing spinach so my taste bud are prejudice. It is a good vegetable in this environment and much easier to grow than spinach. Ducks had been under consideration due to their love of water and our rainfall. I raised ducks in the Midwest for many years. I like them but I have resisted bringing any live stock onto the property at this point until I feel ready to live that sort of life style. Currently I am free to come and go as I please. With animals a person has responsibilities. While living in Wisconsin I lost 75 ducks to coyote as I went trout fishing in Wyoming. Aqua culture is the first potential animal on my list to introduce. I already have the tanks i am waiting for the guys to come a dig trenches for my water pipes. Fish have issues too but it easier to walk away from the place with fish than other creatures.
Moving to Puna, botany major with a psych degree too. U of I is four years out. The move is crucial to my wife's health and we really need this, also bringing a job to the island as a company owner. Can you tell me how long mail takes to get there when its priority mail? Mind making a friend?
Priority 1st class was faster before Trump did his damage. It has become very unreliable lately. Sometimes 3 days, sometimes a week. I had one take more than two weeks when they dumped it on a barge instead of the plane. If it is Amazon, they set up a distribution out of Kona recently and Prime gets here in 48 to 72 hours usually. Mail between the Islands is fast, 24 hours if the timing was right.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 first off I would like to convey my gratitude. Thank you, for replying. Before Trump did his damage did it usually take about three days? If that's the case my business can survive there and I can give out a job or two. Otherwise I have to keep it here on the mainland but I would prefer to bring it there.
@@hyperionsolomon There are two ways mail moves to and from Hawaii. Most small stuff goes by plane. Larger stuff and occasionally smaller stuff ends up on barges. If that happens it can take up to a month and a half. I have collected on a lot of lost stuff when it goes to barge. Most first class ends up on a plane and travel is about the same as from LA to Denver.
@@hyperionsolomon Amazon doubled down on efforts to deliver here after the postal scandal became public. I actually get some of the stuff in 48 hours now.
I would like to know more about potatoes in Puna.... I was thinking raise spuds in sterilized soil inside containers. Does anything attack the greens from above? I wanna be that guy selling fresh spuds at the farmers market.
My personal opinion of the idea is it is a waste of time. I focus on raising food crops that actually grow here. The problems with potatoes in Puna is both in ground and in the air. They are susceptible to dozens of diseases, several of which are present here. The price of potatoes is about as low as any food stuff next to rice so getting a profit out of that crop here is really not possible. Even if you do manage to succeed who is willing to pay two to four times the usual market price to cover your expense? This is a much better project for a home gardener in Puna who loves spuds and is willing to do anything to have one rather than a farm crop. I have planted potatoes several times here only to have them turn black, melt to the roots and die. My guess is spuds might work in spots on the dry side at high elevation. Perhaps even the west side of Volcano might even work. Mountain View is suicide for spuds. Consider sweet potato, taro, plantains or Manioc for carbs in the tropics. If you succeed at this and manage to make enough from it to be worth while I would love to hear feed back on the project.
GreenGardenGuy1 I see you point...If they are cheap at the market, it would be better to grow something more profitable on the land that would grow with less effort and risk. No need to swim upstream unless the reward justifies the effort.
@@kd5txo Yes, you have a firm grasp on the idea. I think a bit different from other gardeners because I have farmed and grown nursery for a living. In the USA a good idea is profitable and profit will drive you to continue with the project. I don't mind losing money on home grown food for my table if the quality is there but in business profit generally takes fore front.
@@kd5txo Hawaii has about 9 of the 11 climatic bands known on planet earth. This extends from Arctic conditions down to tropical with everything in between. Somewhere up and down our mountains is a climate for all manner of crops. Almost every one on the Islands live with in two tropical zones though. Because this is a tropical climate most temperate crops do not do well here. Adapting your crop choice to the climate rather than the other way around hold much logic.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 Yes, and when I say "profitable" I mean REWARDING" because not all things boil down to simple economics...heh heh. The land I have available in Puna is in Ainaloa and there is really no dirt to speak of there....so any gardening will be built from scratch. But if you are telling me your experience from Mountain View, then things would be even worse down in Ainaloa...so I'm ruling out spuds and going for something better that won't be such a challenge: like Dry Kalo and Yams and leafy veggies under shade canopy. Stuffs like dat... Thanks and Aloha from Arkansas, I'll join ya in a couple of years and talk story if you have time.
Sure, the only reason I didn't was because they were personal and I talk about myself way too much. Everyone will actually have their own list that probably differs from mine. When i was 21 the list was different! I intended to retire at this sight and i wanted life easy. Here is my list: County owned blacktop road. Electric utility lines. Cable. Landline phone. Cell signal. Access to county water main. Soil rather than lava rock. No home owners association. Easy access to main highway. Easy access to shopping, services and medical. Above 1200' elevation for climate. Good air circulation. View of countryside, mountain or ocean. Price
Glad I could help simplify the process. I have a tendency to make shopping lists for most anything. It seems to keep me focused and works as a measuring device.
I did my due diligence before buying property and building here. Some folks are either gamblers or in denial when they settle here and feel that lava zones 1 & 2 are okay to live in. I do not believe that is a good idea so I only visit those areas, I refuse to live in them. If you view the Lava & Garden Shows I recorded during the eruption you will see the volcano was only an interesting spectacle from where we live, not a hazard. Volcanic zones in Hawaii are well marked by the USGS for hazard. Some people like to tempt fate by living in high risk zones. I don't need that kind of stress so I picked a know safer area to build.
@@nonyourbuz5805 There are over 20 of them rather than posting all the links just use the you tube search box at the top of the page and type Greengardenguy1/Lava & Garden Show They will all pop up with this search. Or you can just run back wards through last year from my youtube home page.
Great straight talk video Bill, my wife an I will be down there in a couple years. We have a parcel in the Kopua Farm Lots that we will be building a home on and developing.
I am familiar with the Hawaiian definition. Thank you for the clarification. I had only heard the word existed in the two languages but not that the definition was different.
I'll have to admit, I am so used to dog sound here in Hawaii I don't even notice. The dogs were barking? Hawaiians love dogs, they are everywhere. I have one neighbor that uses them for hunting pigs and another that does a K-9 security patrol. Every now and then they will cut loose in a howl session. Sleep? No my life is so active that at the end of every day I am exhausted. You would have to use electric shocks, explosives or hot nails to keep me from sleeping. Natural background noise becomes natural back ground after you hear it enough. I used to look forward to the coyotes howling when i lived in Wisconsin. They were my night time lullaby.
States have been thinking about that since the Civil war so far it has never happened. Texas was the last one because they hated Obama. Now that they have Trumpie they shut up. California loved Obama but hates Trumpie, now it is their turn to whine. California actually has the economy power to become it's own small nation but most of their issue may be over soon. Trumpie is reaching the cracking point. Sooner or later someone will have to exercise some controls on him. I am far more worried about the number of moderate to conservative Republican's retiring or leaving congress. As that end of the political spectrum continues to be marginalized the door is open for extreme far right fascism to enter the picture. Take a look at the guy who wants to run under the republican ticket to replace Paul Ryan. He is a known white supremacist Nazi. Unless america wakes up from it's Trump induced slumber and pushes things back to center left in the next election America as you remember it may be a thing of the past.
You have me talking politics when i was trying to avoid the issue. My political ideas are way off center from most Americas and voicing them in public usually only causes me to be attacked.
LOL!!!!!!! Sorry Bill. I guess one really can't get away from politics, no matter what you do or say. It's going to crop up. Like weeds! But you're not alone with your views. There are more of us than the other side in Hawaii. Chuck it up to the plantations and the Japanese. If you'd like to discuss this. I'm open. Kahoa
No, I am mute at the moment. I turned on the late night comedians last night and the only thing they would joke about was Trump. This has reached the point where Trump is no longer funny, he is a serious problem for America. The electoral college system did this to us. Without this small select group of cherry picked individuals our president would be removing her curls this morning instead of tweeting insane crap from his toilet seat. Trump is disgusting, embarrassing in the eyes of the world and very dangerous. He is no longer humorous and I wish we could get past all this without the entire government falling pray to fascism. That appears to be the road we are heading down unless American's get off their butts and shifts the tide back to the left center where it belongs. I am opening myself up to unwanted attack from white supremacist Nazis when i express this and my place is as a horticulturalist. I am the greengardenguy and would love to remain none political as much as possible. Even the comics are no longer humorous because this whole mess is not funny.
I don't want a fancy house or an expansive car. All I expect when I move back to Hawaii is friendly people who care.Having lived in Kauai and had friends who took the time and really cared if I was ok...thats what I want.
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz, my friends all drive Porsches so please make amends". Hoping for friends is definitely a better life focus. Aloha.
The Walmarts in Denver used to be open 24/7 but I do not think that there is still a single Walmart open 24/7 here any more. Too many problems with shoplifting, drunks, etc. Even the hours of the Walmarts there is a sign of a more peaceful society.
24/7, kind of a figure of speech. A quick check indicates the Hilo, HI Walmart is open from 5 AM to 12 AM, not 24 hours. Perhaps the more limited hours of the Denver Walmart is connected to the legalization of Cannabis in Colorado. The management got stoned and relaxed. Not seriously. Bill
Great video. Glad to hear that there is less racism towards Haoles on the big Island! It’s horrendous on Oahu. Perhaps the demographics of big Island being more diverse than Oahu is a factor?
The world is a mirror to our thoughts. I have certainly run across people in Hawaii who have racial and ethnic issues. I consider them to be mentally ill and don't give them credit for having valid views of reality. In other words they need help and I can't offer it. Most people I meet here treat me with respect. I bumped into a guy the other day that had skin color and ethnic origin issues. I excused myself before I had to find out if my fist or his teeth were stronger. I generally do not hang out or attract the sort of people that are socially maladjusted, but there is another one born every minute. You attract what you project. I live on the same planet but I do not live in the same world with people who see ethnicity as an issue.
I live in Puna, it's a wonderful area, best place I've ever been. Puna is divided in Lava zones. If you are foolish enough to set down and build in zones one or 2 you will hate Puna when the volcano blows. I live where we have not seen volcanic activity since before the past Ice Age. I assume we will be fine until the next Ice Age.
OV..
Grabbed me too.
I never thought I'd live here..
6 yrs later
Still Makin it off grid!
Life pushed me here.. too.
Since I've been through the whole Hippy Homestead thing in the 70's I have settled for maximum creature comforts in my old age. We have all the luxuries of home and run everything from the car to the chainsaw on sunlight. Love it. Aloha
How cool
I was born in Chicago....
Evanston, then Chicago. Later Palatine and finally Barrington, Il.
Planning, dreaming on this relocate.
Just drawn.
To the place and people.
Also originally from Chicago.😉
Chicago, great place to be from. Home of the Blues, best pizza, Italian Beef and hotdogs on earth.
I lived there. Like you said , it isn't for everybody. very good experience. now residing in mexico and still trying to grow food and learn by trial and error.
People ask me questions about living so I try my best to answer. For most people I suspect there are better places to live. Puna is special and only a percentage of Americans would fit in here. If you are Native Hawaiian, an artist, old hippy, biker, farmer, or wood worker you will probably do fine here. For the rest the dream of paradise can be a nightmare. Growing food isn't too hard but learning the local conditions will control your success. Aloha
@@GreenGardenGuy1 Puna IS special. Sorry those hot ponds got covered up. I spend many times there with my grandchildren and ate my first wild picked lilikoi which turns out to be my favorite fruit which i have eaten and grown here in Mex. Saludos.
@@teresatrigiani7838 The hot ponds were fun. All good things come to an end eventually. Change is the only thing that remains the same. I just keep going with the flow, the lava flow!
I just "discovered" you, and find your vids extremely enjoyable ... born and raised here, and I learn stuff from a different perspective as listening to you ... even taking things for granted but you put things into perspective !
Glad you dropped in. Subscribe and press the bell for notifications. Production varies but there is usually a new video once or twice a week. I'm glad you gain some different perspectives in point of view. Aloha
I felt like I was out on the porch listening to you. In the rain, no less. :) I'm glad to see your channel, and you're right, a place people want to be is NOT a cheap place. There's a reason it's expensive, even if it's Puna. I've been hoping to move out there myself, but I've never even been, so my goal is 3 trips of at least a week each, in order to really get a feel for the neighborhoods, microclimates, safety of various areas, and my most important requirement - what I can grow! Hopefully there are farm or homestead tours I can arrange. I'm excited already, just thinking about it.
Desirable real estate has competition for ownership and is limited availability hence higher price. Lower grade real estate has fewer buyers and lower prices. Low priced real estate in Hawaii generally reflects something undesirable about the parcel. I just posted a brand new video on this subject. ruclips.net/video/YhwJVd8ys5c/видео.html
Spending time scoping out the area is a great idea.
I really like and appreciate your videos. Thank you.
Thanks for watching
Im watching because my parents honeymooned in Puna 48 yrs ago.
Puna today and Puna 48 years ago don't resemble each other much. Puna 10 years ago doesn't look much like the modern version. The 1970s was a period were local population actually dropped rather than increased. Today things are growing rapidly with climate problems on the mainland and political insanity in Washington. We still support human rights in Hawaii and support the principles of separations between church and state. For now we are still a good place to live but with all the people trying to escape the madness on the continent they will likely bring it all with them. Have a good look before it's gone.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 thank you sir. I appreciate that
@@damajio Aloha
Hi Bill. Can you burn the "slash" from a cleared lot? Or haul somewhere? Thank you, great video
The only way to burn slash in Hawaii is if you are an agricultural business and have a permit to do so. Home owners burning slash or trash is illegal because of pollution. Here are the rules. health.hawaii.gov/cab/files/2013/05/openburningfaq_2012.pdf
The materials can be hauled to green waste facilities. One in Hilo, one in Keaau. This is sort of a waste thought. All the value in tropical soils is in the vegetation. If you burn or haul the waste you lose all the nutrients in the land. Best to chip it on sight and use it for mulch or get a guy with a brush hog to grind it right as it stood. If it was to be burned then pyrolytic conversion into biochar would be preferable. Since this is done in O2 deprived environments the pollution is minor.
Hey, Bill Love your video!! I am from Chi via Wisc and live in St. Croix US Virgin Islands and so much is the same here.
I've never been to the Virgin Islands. I thought about it once in the past.
Bill , Thank you again for all your great advice.....I am getting closer... dogs are 1/2 way through quarantine.... house is on the market... getting excited. Aloha!🤙
Good luck. It's a great place to call home. Aloha
Glad you gave an example of aloha with the stuck car. Made me tear with pride. A friendly correction, 'ohana is a Hawaiian word and concept. Being a hula dancer, I took Hawaiian language courses at UH-Manoa to help me understand what I was dancing.Glad to see this vid. Imua Bill. Kahoa
Glad I passed that story along. I admit the situation moved me too. Made me glad i lived here.
This video is so wholesome. I love it.
No one has ever called me wholesome before. I don't think I fit that description. I censor myself on you tube. What you see is the sanitized version. Drop by the house for a beer and you get a different impression.
Aloha, I lived the Puna Life and have fond memories. Miss the hot ponds. I'm now on Lanai and it is heavenly. Love your videos.
Sadly the hot ponds are only a memory today. Pele' filled them all in last year.
Love your talks about updates on news on the big Island love your nature keep this show going love reports about garden just all of it great
The lava drove folks off their land but it seems to have driven me to a good idea. Thank you. I will keep at it.
Mahalo nui uncle fo speakn da truth! Much love!
Thank you for the feed back. I am never sure what reaction I will get when I start talking about the local area.
great video. Very informative. When ever the questions of how we progress, overcome difficulty and maintain a standard for the rest of the world. People like you who take the time to explain and educate. Thank you
Thank you Hoang, If only we could all find away off of the tread mill taking time to talk would be easier for all of us. Aloha, Bill
Amazing videos. Good perspective on the subject of culture differences.
Glad you enjoyed it
I just stumbled upon your video and I'm so excited! My heart is set on moving to the BI and your videos are so informative! I have a ton of questions!! Lol
I take questions. It helps if the questions are fairly specific and one at a time.
I own land in Fern Acres you are a great resource for me. I haven't moved there yet Saving now. Thank you
That isn't too far from my location. It is a very different landscape though. Generally a lot of guava jungle on lava rock. Perhaps you have a spot that has been ripped and graded though. Best of luck, Aloha
@@GreenGardenGuy1 My land is on Noe Kuihiwi rd. not ripped yet. Probably next year.
@@J9coughlin One step at a time. Materials are so high right now that they will likely come down. Great timing. I see a lot of earth work lately. The work hasn't gone up as much as the material. Be prepared to deal with the jungle returning after ripping. Developing a plan for suppression of the jungle will be of value. Aloha
I live in Waikaloa and had rental.house in Waimea. Sold both after the volcano 🌋 vog overtook that side of the island. Coming back in February. My brother owns in Maui and extended Ohana in Oahu. I loved living on Big Island. Being bi-costal is hard, I’ll see what I can find as a Hawaiian National. Miss being home, where my heart is. Would love to buy you lunch and talk story. Lots of great 👍🏽 stories to tell. From NYC....Aloha, many mahalos.
Lunch is a magic word in my world. Wow, by Monday we might even be able to do just that. I see you already know, when the volcano blows the west side can become unbearable. I really didn't end up here because of any desire to live in Hawaii. The place sort of found me so I didn't resist. Can't complain. With the country sick, burning and half crazy life in Puna is quite normal if I turn off the TV.
Great info thanks for sharing:)
You're welcome. I had enough questions about living here so I decided to do this video even though it had little to do with gardening. Thank you for the response.
Informative...
Aloha
Aloha Bill! We are moving to BI Puna soon. You mention subdivisions you would not even drive into.,. would you mind giving me to down low on said subdivisions. I am femaie and surely would like to avoid such places. I sure would appreciate it. I loved this video and thanks for the info on the cucerbits!
The main reason I stay out of some areas is the roads. They are private and in terrible shape. I own a Bolt EV, not a Hummer or a Jeep. The roads would destroy my vehicle. The further back you go in any subdivision the worse the culture is. The cockroaches who run meth labs don't live on main roads. They hide out in the woods where no one will find them. You can get a good idea about an area with google earth. If the yards are full of junk cars, the roofs are rusty and they have no solar collectors you are probably looking at a ghetto. If the yards are neat or planted in crops, the houses painted and they have collectors you can figure it is a decent area.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 thank you! I’m “concerned” about theft etc more than roads. Lol. I do have 4wdr not a hummer LOL or a land rover but 4wdr. I just found your channel. I have been watching and VERY MUCH enjoying your knowledge and humor. Oh BTW, I never even thought of pineapple pie…. REVELATION! Can’t wait to try to make one myself. Have a good day. Mahalo!
@@eyeofthetiger4361 Anywhere there is a road you find theft. The worst the road the more likely you live with cockroaches. Roads, rust and junk cars are the easiest ways to figure the area.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 thank you. I was figuring that. Appreciate your input. Nicely put.
The big island of Hawaii is probably more conservative than the other islands.
The island is perfect for growing your own food and appreciating nature. If you can get by the isolation of simply being a 6 hour flight from the mainland you can make it here. Island hopping is fun too
Actually the biggest lump of conservative politics exists on Oahu. They were always opposing more liberal thinking that came from Big Island representatives. I assume you are referring to political views when you say the Island is conservative. The west side of this Island is definitely more conservative than the eastern side.
Some crops are easy to grow here but many others that are common on the mainland are nearly impossible here.
After having spent 64 years living on the mainland I would say the 6 hour isolation is the best part of this island. The Mainland has little going for it that would make me want to leave my home here. I haven't seen the continent for over 6 years and I do not feel I am missing much. I've been to Maui and Oahu but I prefer the Big Island. Aloha
@@GreenGardenGuy1 i also prefer big island but I when I mean by conservative in regards to covid policies as we do not require vaccine proof for dining / events like on Oahu. Covid laws are more strict on Other islands.
@@Native2Earth I see. I realize some rather silly people have tried to make a virus a political issue. Because of this there is the inverse logic that following medical guide lines is some how liberal and defying them is conservative. For real the virus doesn't care what a persons belief system might be. We are all equal and free to get sick if we wish under this virus. I see the lack of carding on this Island as mostly being a matter of numbers. We only have 190,000 people on 4000 sq miles of land. Lots of room to cough around here. Oahu you are coughing in some one else's face.
@@GreenGardenGuy11) Covid has unfortunately become political. The cdc itself and multiple news organizations are funded by Pfizer / J&J and they literally end shows saying this program was brought to you by Pfizer etc.
2) Big pharma does not surpass the constitution and liberals tend to not care about individual rights in the guise of “helping fellow man”. Many states have abandoned all mandates and are not experiencing widespread deaths. The vaccine does not prevent you from passing the virus and you can still get infected so all it can do is mitigate the severity of your infection with additional boosters or just by being healthy (they don’t want you to do that $$) The masks make people feel like they are helping although it’s more like they are slowing down the inevitable. Which is that everyone will get covid and it’s the new common cold. This is the science proven by data but it doesn’t make money so it will take awhile for people to accept it.
3) Dining rooms and pavilions have the same square footage regardless of which island. Restaurants are even bigger on the smaller islands. Hawaii has a lot of overweight unhealthy people and they are right to be scared of the possibility of widespread infection but it’s already here and it’s too late.
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But luckily I’ve started a garden in puna and have been inspired by people like you so I’m glad you are doing your part in providing the neighborhood with fruits and vegetables which are the foundation for a good immune system. Thank you for your service to the community 🤙🏾
Hello gentlemen, can either of you comment on the supposed drug culture in the Puna district? I don’t mean to romanticize nor demonize it but having grown up playing in bands in San Francisco when it was still a music city (before tech ruined it) I’ve experienced both. Are folks there trying to be more connected to a higher consciousness and be more creative or are they taking a shit in the middle of the street and stealing your stuff or worst yet, physical danger? Any thoughts or opinions greatly appreciated. Mahalo
Thank you for this information. Do you know if the Hawaiian Parks subdivision is safe or one of the sketching neighborhoods?
I will assume you are referring to Hawaiian Paradise Parks? I have never heard of Hawaiian Parks and it doesn't google. Paradise Parks is up scale next to the Ocean and a few blocks in. It is decent along Hwy 130 and the most of the main roads. There are places in between that don't look so good. As I tell everyone, you must have your boots on the ground here to make any choices. This is the strangest market in the USA. Paradise park is low elevation and quiet warm. It is entirely A'a and Pahoehoe lava. It is also dangerously close to Lava Zones 1 & 2.
Thank you for sharing. I enjoy rain too, and miss it terribly living in California. And yes, paradise Is indeed a state of mind...
It is raining as I read this. Aloha
@@GreenGardenGuy1 , lovely.
@@MariannaK94 It rains again today, over a foot is projected.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 , sounds wonderful. I often dream sound of rain and smells of rain forest.
@@MariannaK94 Today the rain is coming in from the ocean so hard and fast it smells like the sea rather than a forest.
back in the 60's Puna was the place to go to build. Now the volcano has wiped it clean, so sad to see that beautiful part of the big Island run over. I had many friends that built non permitted homes that were very hard to insure and they all lost everything. There are still nice areas that were not touched by Pele, and what I hear you can't build in that area anymore. It's now area 3 as far as the lava zones go. It's still a beautiful area of the Big Island. Aloha Nui Loa.
The state made a mistake by subsidizing insurance in lava zones one and two. The error is clear today. The reason they did this was to help provide cheap land to locals and stop the exodus. It was well meaning in heart but dumb in the face of volcanic reality. The evidence that the area would always be a hazard was clear. We do a lot of things that make no sense. This was one of them. On the other hand, most of my friends that lost homes and farms in that area made a killing on the insurance claims. Relocation to up graded property was easy. One friend who lost a tree farm has moved on to harvesting lava for architectural projects. He has made lemonade out of a sour situation.
I like when you said here people have time, stop to talk is what most of us lack nowadays. When I was young my grandpa who adopted me could walk past anyone & carry on a full blown conversation but only if the other person gave time nowadays its hard to come by. Im from Indianapolis which its not too common that you will see people waive at you or carry on a conversation but anyway as a truck driver ive been everywhere in the midland besides the farthest upper NE states but anyway I found that almost everyone in Mississippi specially around the delta of Mississippi is very friendly & waive i love it so now im loving this video. Sorry bout the run on sentences
Thank you for the comment. I rode a bicycle from Chicago to Arizona back in the early 70's. My experience indicates there are really good people all across this country. Some places people are more open. In Chicago I seldom lifted my eyes to a stranger. In Hawaii people will just smile as they pass. Can't tell anyone though with the masks.
Bad roads make good neighbors is what they always say. Can't really get used to "civilized", I've got a bit more of a wild west mindset. I definitely have that odd set of parameters. Thanks for another good video Bill!
Bad roads make for broken suspension, dead shocks and tired tires. The poem was "Good fences make good neighbors". Living on a navigable hwy tend to indicate some higher level thinking. Things like going to the store or getting to the doctor take priority on a good road over hiding out from the world on some lava ridge. I love long driveways but dislike bad roads.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 the right wing pidgeons of the mainland may cause a bit more desire for distance and isolation on the mainland than on the big island. That list of parameters may vary by location.
@@mountain-man0 Most of those fools do not come here. Hawaii is the most liberal and socialistic state of the Union. People of color rule here. The red hat flag wavers hate socialists and can not stand living near people who are not white. We are light on Christians here, more secular people here than most states. Women have culturally had rights here, LBGQ people have been venerated as special in the culture and are often shamans. We have the most strict gun laws in the USA and worse, Aloha and Ohana at deeply ingrained in the culture. There is nothing here for Red hats, everything they despise is common here. Red hats choke to death trying to even say ALOHA.
Lol yep. These are the primary appeals of Hawaii beyond climate. The mainland is a bit insane especially post Trump
Hello Bill, would you consider an aria at Mountain View village safe in terms of crime, tsunami and hurricane? Thank you.
Mountain View is safe from hurricane and Tsunami. As for crime, the zip code has good and bad spots. Where i live is good.
That is what I am considering. I appreciate your honest opinion and
trying to reach Nakanishi now.
@@MariannaK94 Aloha
Great video Bill! I love the big island the first time I visited and my love for it grows more with your videos.
you ever tried or seen anyone grow rice? How many percent is property tax in puna?
Many thanks
The greatest obstacle to rice here is the soil drains as fast as sand. You can't make a paddy. There are strains of highland rice that might grow but California grown rice is so cheap here that it is hardly worth the effort. The Waipio Valley is one of the few areas where rice might be grown but the native kalo is raised there instead.
Property tax is complicated here. It is all based on assessment and rate but the rate varies a lot due to discounts. There is one discount if the only home you own is in Hawaii. There is another discount for seniors that is two tiered. You get one at 60 and a second one at 70. There are also agricultural discounts. You see the problem, everyone pays differently. I have two discounts that amount to a reduction of near $200,000 against the assessed value. In short, if you live here long enough to grow old taxes are very cheap.
I’m not retired yet, but I’d like to see the price of the land or land with a house on it. Should i contact an agent to see a few options? Which part of Puna has the least restrictions on how small a house could be?
@@jodiethuy4122 Building codes are a county wide regulation. They apply uniformly across the Island. The only variations are some areas have home owners associations that use private regulations.
If you are not ready to purchase then i wouldn't bother the realtors yet. If you are ready to start the process then it is time to shop for a good realtor. I used team Nakanishi in Hilo and recommend them. If you are just browsing then use the MLS. The easiest public portal to the MLS can be found at hilobrokers.com/ you can browse all property for sale in Hawaii from here.
Good tip thank you Bill!
I enjoy your channel so much. A lot of info everybody can gathers.
I am wondering if road 8 in Hawaiian acres has enough warmth for rambutan and mango to bear fruits, not just grow leaves?
Thank you kindly.
Elevation on that road varies but it is some where around 1200 feet to maybe 1000. I live at 1600 feet and I fruit Rambutan here. Road 8 is too high for commercial Rambutan production but fine for the home garden. If you want to make money on the fruit 500 feet and lower is better.
Heat is not the problem with Mango in east Hawaii, it is too much rain at the wrong time of year. It ruins the flowers. I would give up on the South India mango varieties here and look at Indonesia jungle types like Casturi or Lejiwa. These are more rain proof and will fruit in upper Puna.
Are free ranging chickens used for insect control in Puna ? Especially for the slug ?
If the crops you grow are coffee or something that chickens won't damage then it is entirely possible to free range chickens in crops. In my case the chickens will destroy any vegetable produce, small nursery stock and pineapples which are the main crops I grow. Chickens can not be allowed free range here on the farm, they are far too destructive if left to themselves. The entire Island is infested with a hybrid swarm of wild chickens that range every where. In Puna wild chicken is the #1 bird. I trap and shoot dozens each month. Usually after I find my crops have been destroyed. Chickens much prefer crops to slugs for food. The only good news is the chicken is edible and there are no hunting regulations on them. You can kill and eat as many as you like with no permits. Natures bounty.
Just curious of how long you've lived in Puna. I stayed in Kalapana in 1985 for a year and I was trying to locate my father who I haven't seen in 30 years. His driveway was right across from queens bath. Were you there in the 80s.
You likely know that the bath has filled with lava and no longer exists. No, I was in California and Wisconsin in the 80's.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 yes, I know that the lava took almost everything in Kalapana. That's when my father left. I spent many days at black sand beach and eating loco mocos at Walter Yamaguchis store. If you ever meet a guy in his 70s with the same firs and last name as me please let him know that I'm trying to reach him.
@@robertpaolucci2092 The name is unfamiliar to me. Sorry, I'm no help. Aloha
Hi Bill, I am planning to visit Big Island next year to look at vacant land. I was only in Hilo and Kona for 2 days the last time I was there in 2015. I don't remember much. I want to buy at least 2 acres to build my bamboo home when I have enough save up (5-10 years). I'm interested in Fern Acres. Do you recommend any other subdivision like it? I want good soil to grow fruit trees. I seen people with lava rock fence, is that cheap? I have 3 dogs that I want to bring. Thanks.
There is no soil in Fern Acres, the entire subdivision is A'a & Pahoehoe lava. The only subdivision around here that is entirely soil is Canney Farm lots. Soil is found in various areas usually in small spots. Around the town of mountain View there is a rather large region of soil.
Lava rock fences are traditional. They are really cheap if you own the lava and build them yourself. If the rock is trucked in and contractors are hired they are very expensive. Regular hog wire farm fencing is the cheapest here. If you have dogs the lava wouldn't keep them in. Most folks with lava fence and animals usually have chain link fence topping the lava walls.
I am not happy with what I can grow on my small house lot in Coos
Bay, OR. Looking for someplace else to retire in 4 to 6 years Without haveing to leave the USA, for Mexico, Asia, or South America.
Hawaii is definitely not for everyone. It is the most different state of the union. It is best to put in some time here with boots on the ground before thinking too hard about it. Lots of difference in property here and individuals have very different reactions to life here. A car is only good to go to the store or the beach you can't leave the Island without a plane and that has gotten more difficult lately. The land is so different here that it's back to class 101 farming.
Bill: What brand citrus picker do you use (The one in your You tube video)? Where can I get one?
Don Edgerton
Same one I had in the other video that is totally in Japanese. Can't read it. It has a crab as a symbol. Sorry.
Aloha, I am from Oahu and thinking of relocating to Puna. I am wondering which subdivisions you would personally avoid because of the meth addicts. Mahalo!
Since you can find people who use drugs in many areas the easiest way to figure it is if the price sounds to cheap then your neighbor is probably a meth dealer. Puna has a considerable spread in property pricing from really cheap to kind of expensive. Start from the top down, not the bottom up. Somewhere in the mid to upper mid level price you will find a fine place to live. The meth heads all live in the low rent districts. I hear things on the coconut telegraph but who knows what is true. Eden Rock subdivision in Mountain View has an awful reputation. I live on the road that goes in there and the police always go past my house in pairs of squads for back up. I know a lot of fine people that live back in there but the place has a reputation.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 thank you!
Hi - I guessin’ you live near Glenwood at 1600ft. We live near the bakery in Mtn View. Growing all sort of experimental ‘stuff’ n 25 acres. Thanks for your videos. Very informative. 🙂
Glenwood is 2000 and higher. I live in Canney Farm Lots on S, Kopua rd. I do experiment some but mostly I focus on crops that are reliable here. My whole point in doing this is to eat and make money.
GreenGardenGuy1 - Food and $, basic necessities in life. We live on Mauna Loa flow. I guess you do as well. I find the ‘soil’ here interesting. The top layer doesn’t drain at all and pools on top. Down about 4 ft we hit the lava rock zone and water drains away quickly. Root rot dominates from what I can tell.
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@@markmorrissey672 I'm sitting on 16 foot deep Andisol formed from volcanic ash that is supposed to have originated Mauna Kea thousands of years ago. To the south and east of here the same ash was covered several times by Kilauea lava. I appear to have gotten the bulk of the ash because Laura behind me only has 3 to 4 feet and Ben across the road has only a foot. Root rot isn't much of an issue because the stuff drains like sand. The only tree I have trouble with is Avocado on anything other than West Indian root stock. The soil has an organism that attacks the Guatemalan roots.
GreenGardenGuy1 - Ah yes. You’re right up the street. A mixture of Kilauea and Mauna Loa flow. I cleared (no trees, former cane land) 1/3 acre with my tractor here. Put pig fence around it and started hydroponics (for giggles during pandemic, really not much giggles 🙁), and am planting coffee, tea and whatever to see what grows here. Retired 4 years ago.
@@markmorrissey672 There are a lot of crops that grow around here. The challenge is finding one that doesn't drive you crazy, make you work too hard go broke. Nursery is good. Exotic crop seed production isn't bad. I have coffee and it is too much work. I've been pruning all the trees back to hold vanilla vines. They are work too but tedious, not hard. $500 per kilo is a reasonable price for a crop.
Have you tried green papaya as a vegetable like in Thai som tam or morning glory? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipomoea_aquatica to me morning glory is far superior to spinach, stays crunchy when cooked. Also have you considered Indian runner ducks for slug/snail/bug control? unlike chickens they don't scratch or peck veges and you can exclude them from an area with a very low fence(don't fly or jump) also prolific layers.
Yes, the green papaya salad is a favorite here. Every farmers market has a booth and the line is usually very long. I eat several each month.
Yes, I have the "Water Spinach" morning glory in the nursery. It is an easy grow and edible. If I was to compare it to spinach if falls short but I grew up eating and growing spinach so my taste bud are prejudice. It is a good vegetable in this environment and much easier to grow than spinach.
Ducks had been under consideration due to their love of water and our rainfall. I raised ducks in the Midwest for many years. I like them but I have resisted bringing any live stock onto the property at this point until I feel ready to live that sort of life style. Currently I am free to come and go as I please. With animals a person has responsibilities. While living in Wisconsin I lost 75 ducks to coyote as I went trout fishing in Wyoming. Aqua culture is the first potential animal on my list to introduce. I already have the tanks i am waiting for the guys to come a dig trenches for my water pipes. Fish have issues too but it easier to walk away from the place with fish than other creatures.
Moving to Puna, botany major with a psych degree too. U of I is four years out. The move is crucial to my wife's health and we really need this, also bringing a job to the island as a company owner. Can you tell me how long mail takes to get there when its priority mail? Mind making a friend?
Priority 1st class was faster before Trump did his damage. It has become very unreliable lately. Sometimes 3 days, sometimes a week. I had one take more than two weeks when they dumped it on a barge instead of the plane. If it is Amazon, they set up a distribution out of Kona recently and Prime gets here in 48 to 72 hours usually. Mail between the Islands is fast, 24 hours if the timing was right.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 first off I would like to convey my gratitude. Thank you, for replying. Before Trump did his damage did it usually take about three days? If that's the case my business can survive there and I can give out a job or two. Otherwise I have to keep it here on the mainland but I would prefer to bring it there.
Thanks for the rest of the information. The stuff about Amazon. That was helpful.
@@hyperionsolomon There are two ways mail moves to and from Hawaii. Most small stuff goes by plane. Larger stuff and occasionally smaller stuff ends up on barges. If that happens it can take up to a month and a half. I have collected on a lot of lost stuff when it goes to barge. Most first class ends up on a plane and travel is about the same as from LA to Denver.
@@hyperionsolomon Amazon doubled down on efforts to deliver here after the postal scandal became public. I actually get some of the stuff in 48 hours now.
I would like to know more about potatoes in Puna.... I was thinking raise spuds in sterilized soil inside containers. Does anything attack the greens from above? I wanna be that guy selling fresh spuds at the farmers market.
My personal opinion of the idea is it is a waste of time. I focus on raising food crops that actually grow here. The problems with potatoes in Puna is both in ground and in the air. They are susceptible to dozens of diseases, several of which are present here. The price of potatoes is about as low as any food stuff next to rice so getting a profit out of that crop here is really not possible. Even if you do manage to succeed who is willing to pay two to four times the usual market price to cover your expense? This is a much better project for a home gardener in Puna who loves spuds and is willing to do anything to have one rather than a farm crop. I have planted potatoes several times here only to have them turn black, melt to the roots and die. My guess is spuds might work in spots on the dry side at high elevation. Perhaps even the west side of Volcano might even work. Mountain View is suicide for spuds. Consider sweet potato, taro, plantains or Manioc for carbs in the tropics. If you succeed at this and manage to make enough from it to be worth while I would love to hear feed back on the project.
GreenGardenGuy1 I see you point...If they are cheap at the market, it would be better to grow something more profitable on the land that would grow with less effort and risk. No need to swim upstream unless the reward justifies the effort.
@@kd5txo Yes, you have a firm grasp on the idea. I think a bit different from other gardeners because I have farmed and grown nursery for a living. In the USA a good idea is profitable and profit will drive you to continue with the project. I don't mind losing money on home grown food for my table if the quality is there but in business profit generally takes fore front.
@@kd5txo Hawaii has about 9 of the 11 climatic bands known on planet earth. This extends from Arctic conditions down to tropical with everything in between. Somewhere up and down our mountains is a climate for all manner of crops. Almost every one on the Islands live with in two tropical zones though. Because this is a tropical climate most temperate crops do not do well here. Adapting your crop choice to the climate rather than the other way around hold much logic.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 Yes, and when I say "profitable" I mean REWARDING" because not all things boil down to simple economics...heh heh. The land I have available in Puna is in Ainaloa and there is really no dirt to speak of there....so any gardening will be built from scratch. But if you are telling me your experience from Mountain View, then things would be even worse down in Ainaloa...so I'm ruling out spuds and going for something better that won't be such a challenge: like Dry Kalo and Yams and leafy veggies under shade canopy. Stuffs like dat... Thanks and Aloha from Arkansas, I'll join ya in a couple of years and talk story if you have time.
Can you share what your parameters were?
Sure, the only reason I didn't was because they were personal and I talk about myself way too much. Everyone will actually have their own list that probably differs from mine. When i was 21 the list was different! I intended to retire at this sight and i wanted life easy. Here is my list:
County owned blacktop road.
Electric utility lines.
Cable.
Landline phone.
Cell signal.
Access to county water main.
Soil rather than lava rock.
No home owners association.
Easy access to main highway.
Easy access to shopping, services and medical.
Above 1200' elevation for climate.
Good air circulation.
View of countryside, mountain or ocean.
Price
Thank you, good , well thought out list.. I could never do this. Now I have a example i could revise.
Glad I could help simplify the process. I have a tendency to make shopping lists for most anything. It seems to keep me focused and works as a measuring device.
...I see this was posted in April 2018...Does your Property still exist with house ?...
I did my due diligence before buying property and building here. Some folks are either gamblers or in denial when they settle here and feel that lava zones 1 & 2 are okay to live in. I do not believe that is a good idea so I only visit those areas, I refuse to live in them. If you view the Lava & Garden Shows I recorded during the eruption you will see the volcano was only an interesting spectacle from where we live, not a hazard. Volcanic zones in Hawaii are well marked by the USGS for hazard. Some people like to tempt fate by living in high risk zones. I don't need that kind of stress so I picked a know safer area to build.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 ...uh...no I saw some that looked like maybe you were in Southern California...which ones show lava and Hawaii?...
@@nonyourbuz5805 There are over 20 of them rather than posting all the links just use the you tube search box at the top of the page and type Greengardenguy1/Lava & Garden Show
They will all pop up with this search. Or you can just run back wards through last year from my youtube home page.
Great straight talk video Bill, my wife an I will be down there in a couple years. We have a parcel in the Kopua Farm Lots that we will be building a home on and developing.
You are just down the road then near my friend Marvin the Banana man.
Ohana is family in Hawaiian,
Flower in Japanese. So depending on what and whom who talking about, Ohana is family
I am familiar with the Hawaiian definition. Thank you for the clarification. I had only heard the word existed in the two languages but not that the definition was different.
Wow what's with all the dogs barking in the background? Do they ever give you trouble when trying to sleep?
I'll have to admit, I am so used to dog sound here in Hawaii I don't even notice. The dogs were barking? Hawaiians love dogs, they are everywhere. I have one neighbor that uses them for hunting pigs and another that does a K-9 security patrol. Every now and then they will cut loose in a howl session. Sleep? No my life is so active that at the end of every day I am exhausted. You would have to use electric shocks, explosives or hot nails to keep me from sleeping. Natural background noise becomes natural back ground after you hear it enough. I used to look forward to the coyotes howling when i lived in Wisconsin. They were my night time lullaby.
How do you feel about California thinking about leaving the Union?
States have been thinking about that since the Civil war so far it has never happened. Texas was the last one because they hated Obama. Now that they have Trumpie they shut up. California loved Obama but hates Trumpie, now it is their turn to whine. California actually has the economy power to become it's own small nation but most of their issue may be over soon. Trumpie is reaching the cracking point. Sooner or later someone will have to exercise some controls on him. I am far more worried about the number of moderate to conservative Republican's retiring or leaving congress. As that end of the political spectrum continues to be marginalized the door is open for extreme far right fascism to enter the picture. Take a look at the guy who wants to run under the republican ticket to replace Paul Ryan. He is a known white supremacist Nazi. Unless america wakes up from it's Trump induced slumber and pushes things back to center left in the next election America as you remember it may be a thing of the past.
You have me talking politics when i was trying to avoid the issue. My political ideas are way off center from most Americas and voicing them in public usually only causes me to be attacked.
LOL!!!!!!! Sorry Bill. I guess one really can't get away from politics, no matter what you do or say. It's going to crop up. Like weeds! But you're not alone with your views. There are more of us than the other side in Hawaii. Chuck it up to the plantations and the Japanese. If you'd like to discuss this. I'm open. Kahoa
No, I am mute at the moment. I turned on the late night comedians last night and the only thing they would joke about was Trump. This has reached the point where Trump is no longer funny, he is a serious problem for America. The electoral college system did this to us. Without this small select group of cherry picked individuals our president would be removing her curls this morning instead of tweeting insane crap from his toilet seat. Trump is disgusting, embarrassing in the eyes of the world and very dangerous. He is no longer humorous and I wish we could get past all this without the entire government falling pray to fascism. That appears to be the road we are heading down unless American's get off their butts and shifts the tide back to the left center where it belongs. I am opening myself up to unwanted attack from white supremacist Nazis when i express this and my place is as a horticulturalist. I am the greengardenguy and would love to remain none political as much as possible. Even the comics are no longer humorous because this whole mess is not funny.
If you only get one viewpoint constantly, then it's brainwashing.
I don't want a fancy house or an expansive car. All I expect when I move back to Hawaii is friendly people who care.Having lived in Kauai and had friends who took the time and really cared if I was ok...thats what I want.
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz, my friends all drive Porsches so please make amends". Hoping for friends is definitely a better life focus. Aloha.
The Walmarts in Denver used to be open 24/7 but I do not think that there is still a single Walmart open 24/7 here any more. Too many problems with shoplifting, drunks, etc. Even the hours of the Walmarts there is a sign of a more peaceful society.
24/7, kind of a figure of speech. A quick check indicates the Hilo, HI Walmart is open from 5 AM to 12 AM, not 24 hours. Perhaps the more limited hours of the Denver Walmart is connected to the legalization of Cannabis in Colorado. The management got stoned and relaxed. Not seriously. Bill
Great video. Glad to hear that there is less racism towards Haoles on the big Island! It’s horrendous on Oahu. Perhaps the demographics of big Island being more diverse than Oahu is a factor?
The world is a mirror to our thoughts. I have certainly run across people in Hawaii who have racial and ethnic issues. I consider them to be mentally ill and don't give them credit for having valid views of reality. In other words they need help and I can't offer it. Most people I meet here treat me with respect. I bumped into a guy the other day that had skin color and ethnic origin issues. I excused myself before I had to find out if my fist or his teeth were stronger. I generally do not hang out or attract the sort of people that are socially maladjusted, but there is another one born every minute. You attract what you project. I live on the same planet but I do not live in the same world with people who see ethnicity as an issue.
J
I can't make heads or tails out of your message.
stay out of the PUNA area, bad for active lava.
I live in Puna, it's a wonderful area, best place I've ever been. Puna is divided in Lava zones. If you are foolish enough to set down and build in zones one or 2 you will hate Puna when the volcano blows. I live where we have not seen volcanic activity since before the past Ice Age. I assume we will be fine until the next Ice Age.