Family Farm
About the Farm
The Family Farm, Inc. has been growing food in Hāmākua on Hawaiʻi Island for 30 years and has been certified organic since 1995. Founded by Chris Yuen and Noelie Rodriguez, the farm welcomed Stephen Filipiak as a partner in 2017. Together, they grow apple bananas, lychees, rambutans, turmeric, and purslane, supplying local supermarkets, The Food Basket, and community members.
The farm is committed to ecologically responsible agriculture, avoiding synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides while producing nutritious, locally grown food. Over the decades, the farmers have developed sustainable growing practices that reflect their commitment to caring for the land and strengthening Hawaiʻi Island's local food supply.
The Challenge
Like many Hawaiʻi Island farms, The Family Farm faces high production costs and the challenge of maintaining productive agricultural land. Located on former sugarcane fields, the farm struggles with compacted, nutrient-depleted soil and invasive weeds that make expanding production difficult.
Organic certification adds another layer of complexity, as conventional herbicides and other synthetic inputs are not an option. The farm relies heavily on mowing and mechanical weed management, while heavy rainfall can wash nutrients from the soil. Without adequate equipment, preparing additional growing areas requires hiring outside contractors, making expansion costly and difficult to schedule around favorable weather conditions.
How Mālama Da Farmer Grant Helped
Through the Mālama Da Farmer Grant, The Family Farm invested in essential agricultural equipment to improve soil preparation, manage weeds, and support organic crop production. The farm purchased a disc harrow and rotary tiller to prepare additional growing areas, a Woods mower for vegetation management, and a skid sprayer for more targeted application of organically approved nutrients and treatments.
The project also supported fertilizers, ground cover, and other agricultural supplies. These investments allow Chris and Stephen to manage more of their fieldwork independently, reduce reliance on outside contractors, and prepare additional land for banana and turmeric production.
Impact
With improved equipment and greater control over land preparation and maintenance, The Family Farm is better positioned to expand its organic banana and turmeric production while maintaining healthy, productive soils.
The new equipment allows Chris and Stephen to work more efficiently, manage invasive weeds, and prepare fields when weather conditions are favorable. These improvements support the farm's long-term goal of increasing locally grown food for Hawaiʻi Island residents, while continuing the environmentally responsible farming practices they have maintained for three decades.
Hear Their Story
Hear from Chris Yuen and Stephen Filipiak about their decades of organic farming, the challenges of expanding production, and how the Mālama Da Farmer Grant is helping them grow more food for Hawaiʻi Island.
Video by Nixon Jack
