Welcome to 21 Degrees Estate, the most charming cacao farm in Hawaii! Please join our family's journey of starting, building and growing this cacao farm, to include the chickens, honeybees, butterflies, mini goats, fruit trees and tropical flowers!
How We Started
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. (In fact, we often say this magical , mana -filled place found us!) Already a farm with mature agriculture like apple-bananas, coconut, starfruit, turmeric, avocado, mango, guava, lilikoi and beautiful heliconia, red and pink ginger flowers, we decided to plant cacao.
About Our Location
The windward coast of O`ahu 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.
We set to planting nearly 800 cacao trees and waited to see if they'd grow! Fortunately for us, they not only grew, but thrived . We aim to be mindful of ensuring a diverse farm free of harmful pesticides and one which uses renewable energy sources whenever possible and sustainable practices always.
About Our Farm
Ours is a 10-acre cacao farm now in its 6th production year where our harvests are yielding more pods exponentially every year. We've learned a lot along the way and love sharing our journey—and delicious chocolate--with visitors. We still think of 21 Degrees Estate as very much a work in progress. But we believe the journey is as important as the final outcome and are looking forward to the continued serendipity of events that have brought us to this point!
Our Journey & Mission
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!"
We began with an idea. We planted trees. Now we produce some of the world’s finest cacao with bees that make award-winning honey. We began with agriculture and found ourselves at this wonderful intersection of not only agriculture, but culinary, wellness, environment and community. Especially community. We invite you to join us on the journey going forward and join our 21 Degrees Estate Ohana!