21 Degrees Estate Cacao Farm

Aloha! When we each retired from the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force respectively, we knew that we wanted to remain in Hawaii and that we wanted to find a place and create a space that would not only serve as a magical and beautiful surrounding in which our children could thrive, but also one which could be shared with others. After nearly a year of looking at properties, we knew we had found just the spot in September 2014. Already a farm with mature agriculture like apple-bananas, coconut, starfruit, turmeric, avocado, mango, guava, lilikoi and beautiful heliconia, bird-of-paradise and red and pink ginger flowers, we decided to plant cacao. The windward coast of Oahu is fondly referred to by chocolatiers like Madre Chocolate's Co-founder and ethnobotanist, Nat Bletter, as the "Napa Valley" of chocolate due to its unique micro-climate, soil and moisture. We are excited to be joining other Hawaii cacao farmers in cultivating this novel and unique fruit and have christened our farm "21 degrees Estate" due to the latitude location of Oahu, Hawaii. Although there are a number of pre-existing cacao trees on the property, we are in the process of laying out a more deliberate orchard plan beginning with new seedlings of criollo and trinitario varieties which will grow up along with planned windbreak trees like koa and mahogany in the outfield and citrus and nitrogen-fixing legumes infield. At the same time, we aim to be mindful of ensuring a diverse farm free of harmful pesticides and one which uses renewable energy sources whenever possible. Ours is an early-stage, 10-acre cacao farm which is still very much a work in progress. But we believe the journey is as important as the final outcomes and are looking forward to the continued serendipity of events that have brought us to this point! We invite you to join us on the journey going forward!
Our vision?

"To create a delightfully diverse, safe, healthy, and just space with clean air, water, soil and power --economically, equitably, ecologically, and elegantly enjoyed!"

Our goal?
"To grow great cacao for great chocolate!"