A Family's Kuleana

Malama Farm is a family farm focused on artisanally produced heritage pork. As a fine furniture craftsman (Heirloom Woodworks) and a technology entrepreneur, we had no previous farming experience, but were called to action in 2009 by the state of the food industry overall, and pork production, specifically. We were free of any preconceived notions of what was and was not possible, so decided to take the best practices of the ancient past and weave them with custom designed housing, water systems, feed supply and grazing methods to create a new standard of humane farming. This farm is part of our kuleana - responsibility - to demonstrate a sustainable, humane and healthy way to provide food of the best quality to our community and visitors to Hawaii. You can read more about our philosophy here.

The Farm
We are located at 1000' elevation on the slopes of Haleakala on Maui, with sweeping ocean views that span from the famous Pe'ahi (Jaws) surf break to the spire of Kahakuloa in the West. Our micro-climate is exceptional for growing fruits and vegetables with only natural rainfall and catchment, and for raising livestock in a temperate climate cooled by tradewinds.

Pastured Heritage Pork
We are the first ever breeders and suppliers of 100% pure Berkshire pork, also known as kurobuta, in the Pacific. As the original source of kurobuta for the Hawaii and Pacific market, our primary focus is raising pork the pono way - i.e. treating them right. Our animals never suffer confinement or boredom and instead frolic in a natural paradise their whole lives. These animals are intelligent, kind and playful, and we aim to show them the same generosity of spirit as they show us. Farm chores go beyond feeding and watering - they include massages, belly rubs, and play time.

Our fields are lush with high-nutrient grasses, and surrounded by guava, papaya, lilikoi (passion fruit) and avocado. We have incorporated a heavy focus on "canoe plants" as food source for our animals - plants such as 'ulu (breadfruit), uala (sweet potato), kalo (taro), and sweet apple bananas - rich in nutrients and brought by the original Polynesian settlers in Hawai'i around 400 A.D. We have also planted macadamia and pili nut, malabar chestnuts, and more to provide the pigs with forage and as tasty and nutritious a natural diet as possible. Pigs also enjoy beer and revel in the occasional "happy hour" while watching the sunset over the West Maui mountains.

The pigs have well ventilated, portable shelters that we custom designed and built to rotate regularly. These are outfitted with scratching posts for those 'hard to reach' spots, and teamed up with private tubs, or wallows, that provide them with cool pools for lounging. The pigs are followed by free range hens in their "Coop On Wheels", a.ka. "the COW". The hens 'clean up' after the pigs, provide fresh, organic eggs (which we cook up for pig protein), and nitrogen fix the land with their manure. We minimize the time spent on each part of the pasture and give the land time to rest and repair before bringing livestock back to this newly revitalized area.

Our farm dog, Moose, isn't much of a herder, and is kind of shaped like a pig, but he enjoys doing his part and visits with the birds and pigs regularly.

We love sharing this corner of paradise with this bevy of beautiful animals, and believe you will taste the difference in the life they've experienced. Please take a look at some images of this idyllic corner of the Pacific.