Testimonials

Mafer Lomelin
Mexico
Mar 24, 2021

Aloha! I can only say good things about Patrick and my stay at Kula Mana, he made me feel like family and very welcomed. His house is beautiful and has an astonishing view, not to speak of the big kitchen, I even ventured on baking! and I run from cooking like the plague... The work at the farm is fun and varied so there's not time to get bored; some days are light and some others are more physical but that's to be expected!. Activities range from coffee cherry picking, washing, processing, taking a quick trip to the roaster, packaging and finally selling it at a very neat farmer's market on Sundays. Picking mac nuts, fruits, cutting banana trees and chopping them to smaller bits to turn them into fertilizer for the coffee plants, pulling weeds, maintaining the steps of stairs or trails inside the farm to name a few. There's also a very nice workshop and Patrick is very open to ideas and other projects. Not only I had a great time with the chores at the farm but I can say that Patrick became a good friend and the crew that was at the farm when I happened to be there was sort of eclectic making it richer and way more fun. Trivia nights out at Ola Brewery in Kona, Thursdays sharing a meal, going to the beach together after work. I do have to deeply thank Patrick for this experience and for being so courageous as to run this farm free of pesticides and nature friendly. Quite an interesting fellow.

Shayna and Nicholas
United States
Aug 9, 2020

This farm makes for the best Helpx experience. Patrick was very accepting of our wish to work on the farm even after the whole pandemic started. Although we had to quarantine for two weeks, it was probably the best time of the trip because we really just focused on working and experiencing the farm and all the awesome people there. The farm work consisted of picking macadamia nuts, harvesting fruit, and maintaining the weeds. It was hard work and will definitely keep you in shape. The work/play balance is very fair, as long as your working hard during the work day you will have plenty of time to relax and do what you want. We forever grateful for this experience on the farm, everyone we got to meet, and everything we got to learn. If you are considering working on a farm in Hawaii, you wont find better than here! Thank you Patrick!! :).

Elie Alieva
Russia
Oct 3, 2020

I spent six weeks working at this farm and it was a great experience all around. I learned a lot during my stay and especially of what there is to know about macademia nuts and picking coffee. The work at the farm was very fair and Patrick was also flexible and respectful of his workers. The farm is well cared for, filled with healthy trees, and has a very calm and peaceful energy, and the area near the farm is great for exploring. I loved eating everything the farm had to offer and I made friends with another helper there. The house was perfect. I loved every bit of my stay at Kula Mana farms and I recommend to stay there. Patrick is a very sweet and a generous man.
Thank you, Patrick, for your generosity and hospitality! I wish you the best for 2020 and beyond!

Corey Osak
United States
Dec 30, 2019

This was my first experience with HelpX and it exceeded any expectation I had.
I loved every moment of my time on Kula Mana Farms; from the work, to the people I met and the island living.
I came to Hawaii as a single, 35 year old female and always felt safe and comfortable in my travels and living conditions.
Patrick was a wonderful, gracious host; very accommodating and helpful to his guests and their needs. He was always happy to offer rides to the grocery store and to Kona, when he was heading that direction. Patrick is a very passionate farmer, with an infectious Aloha spirit, who was eager to share his farm and his knowledge with anyone willing to learn!
The work was difficult, but rewarding. And the fact that was only 20 hours a week was awesome. The farm is located on a gorgeous part of the island, very close to 2 incredible snorkeling beaches. You will have plenty of time to explore.
It was hard to get around the island without a vehicle. However, we hitchhiked everywhere and never had an issue. Although it will teach you to have patience 
The rooms in the Love Shack are small, but clean and comfortable. The little common area/kitchen is the perfect place to hang out and meet your fellow workers and hopefully plan your adventures around the island!
I stayed on Kula Mana Farms for 5 weeks, but would’ve happily stayed longer if I didn’t have a return flight ;) This was one of the greatest experiences of my life and I am eternally grateful for the forever friends I’ve made, the farm knowledge I gained and the respect and love I feel for the island of Hawaii.
Mahalo.

Julie and Emmanuel
France
Nov 25, 2019

We stayed 3 weeks at Patrick’. We were comfortably installed in the love shack with an amazing view from the bathtub ! We worked from 8am to 1pm, 4 days a week, picking coffee and macadamia nut. Work can be a bit hard, but the place definitely worth it. We could go in the farm and take some fruits and avocado to eat. There are lots of great places and beaches around that you can access easily by hitch hiking. Patrick is passionate about coffee and explained us the whole process of coffee making. He brought us to the museum and did a coffee tasting with us. He let us stayed a little bit longer at his home. We met amazing people. The big island is really beautiful, you will enjoy for sure. Thank you for this great experience Patrick !

Stéphanie Giglione
France
Sep 17, 2019

Thank you so much for my time here. It was a blast! Patrick is a very nice person. He comes to pick you up at the airport when you arrive. You do your first groceries then at Walmart or Safeway in Kona. Then you drive till the farm at Captain Cook. Patrick showed me the point of interest on the way to the farm. A really nice welcome for me :)
His dog Happy was so cute as well :)
I had my own room and we shared the bathroom (shower, toilet outdoor). I've met Lucie and Martin, Ayla and Bryan, Ania and Jac :) from all over the world! We were playing Risk and some other card games. We could watch Game Of Thrones with Patrick, we were doing some dinner night (everyone was supposed to cook a special meal from his country :) )
The work was easy, pruning coffee trees, picking up the macadamia nuts, picking up fruits (avocado, papaya, bananas...) weeding all over the farm and other tasks relative to the farm. From 8am to 1pm from monday to thursday, then you have 3 days off.
The place is lovely :) You have a wonderfull view of the ocean ! You will hear frogs, avocado and nuts falling from the trees ;)
I really enjoy my time there !
during my 3 days off I was often renting cars. The cheapest is from the airport but it's 45min away... you'll need to hichhick there. Or just do hitchhike to go wherever.

Luise Kobalz
Germany
Apr 30, 2019

This was my first helpx experience and I really enjoyed it.
We worked 20 hours a week and did everything from pulling weed to picking nuts and trimming coffee trees.. I definitely enjoyed expanding my knowledge about farming!
I stayed about 2 months in the love shack and met so many beautiful people from all over the world and found good friends.
Patrick and his lovely dog Hap are great host! I had really good talks with Patrick, he’s a funny, understanding and friendly person. He is also always offering rides to town or recommend fun things to do.
The Kula Mana Farm is beautiful!! You can see the most beautiful sunsets right from your bed and you have the most delicious fruits all around you, it felt like heaven!
Thank you so much for having me! Take care!

Jade Prevost-Manuel
Canada
Mar 3, 2019

This was my first help ex experience and my time at Kula Mana exceeded all and any expectations I had going into the work exchange. Patrick is a wonderful host that expects hard work during the (very fair) work week and is always willing to give you great recommendations for activities to do on weekends. We spent about half of our shift picking macadamia nuts and the second half either pruning, weeding, setting traps, or completing any other farm work that was needed. Patrick treats his volunteers with respect and acknowledges your limitations - he was a super fair boss and I’m already planning my next trip back!
The farm is about a 30 minute drive from Kona and we often got around by hitchhiking which is fairly easy to do on the Big Island. It’s a beautiful place to stay and the love shack was an adorable cabana-style accommodation with an outdoor shower looking onto the farm. The farm itself is super beautiful and it was amazing eating fresh avocados, papayas, and bananas off the tree!
Kula Mana is an AMAZING place and I cannot stress enough how positive this experience was for me. If you’re looking for somewhere to make great new friends and learn about rural Hawaii then this is the place for you - plenty to do, lots to learn and good company to be had!

Amy and Linden
Australia
Oct 16, 2018

We absolutely loved our stay with Patrick and Kathleen.. We were on Kula Mana farm for 4 weeks and from the moment we walked onto the farm we were in love...especially showering under the stars!!
We had no prior knowledge on picking coffee or macadamia nuts however we left enriched with knowledge of the farm, the farming processes and Hawaii island history.
Be prepared for hard work during the day however it is very rewarding and have time in the afternoons to unwind.
Patrick was generous in showing us around and helping us get on our feet when needed to hire a car etc. and Kathleen makes awesome smoothies using the fruits found on the farm as well as fantastic brownies!
We had plenty of time on the 3 day weekends to explore what Hawaii has to offer.
Would definitely recommend spending time here and hope to do so again in future!
Mahalo..!

Brad and Mike
United States
Mar 14, 2018

Patrick and Kathleen are two of the most interesting people I've ever had the opportunity to meet. They are kind, hard-working and generous in ways that I found were beyond fair to workers. And, Kula Mana Farms is a beautiful, high-productive farm that has a history and nothing but a positive vibe.
We arrived on Sunday evening - we drove over from Kona with a 4-wheel drive car because it made getting to the Mill House on the farm much easier - and we met Patrick and Katherine. We sat down, talked and immediately realized how super nice and welcoming these two were. They toured us around the house and the farm, and they showed us the two palaces where workers stay. Wherever you end up - in the Mill House of the Love Shack - you will be comfortable and happy.
One hears many stories about other properties on the Big Island. One of the other woofers on the farm explained how her former farm required 10 bags of mac nuts as a daily quota. Another told of a guest house in which the owner was abusive to his wife and failed to hide the drama from guests and workers. These nightmare scenarios could not have been farther from the experience we had on Patrick and Kathleen's farm.
Mac nut picking day was hard work - 5 hours and the goal was a bucket an hour for 5 hours. It was totally doable, and we workers made it a game to try and reach our goal. After a solid day of hard work - whether it was picking nuts or coffee, or limbing mac nut trees and preparing the material for disposal - Kathleen prepared a "snack." Her idea of a snack was my idea of a great lunch, and she said that she didn't want to call it a lunch officially in the event that one day she didn't have time to prepare the meal. Totally understandable, and completely beyond any expectation.
Avocados, bananas, mangos and more grow all over the farm and workers are encouraged to use them in the meals they prepare themselves. We became amazingly spoiled by the bounty that there for the taking - seriously great.
After work, snorkeling, surfing or just plain old chilling out at the beach were all easy options. This farm's location in Captain Cook is perfect.
In case anyone couldn't guess, I loved Kula Mana farms and I think Patrick and Kathleen are terrific people. It was a pleasure to work with them on their beautiful farm and help them bring to market the produce that so many ultimately enjoy.
If scheduling permits and you are up for the tasks that Kula Mana Farms requires, then definitely submit an application. If you are fortunate enough to be asked to join Patrick and Kathleen, jump at the opportunity.
Be ready to work hard, be treated fairly, build a sense of camaraderie with your fellow workers, and make friendships that will last for a long time.
Aloha, and mahalo to Patrick and Kathleen for allowing us to be of service to you and to Kula Mana Farms.

Hannah
United States
Feb 26, 2021

I have so much love for Patrick and this place! A complete newbie to farming, Patrick was patient when giving instructions on how to harvest, prune, and wash the coffee. He listens to volunteers’ suggestions and challenges us to think for ourselves when completing tasks. I learned basic permaculture practices and found a new passion in permaculture design! I stayed at the Love Shack (lol, I know) and had my own room detached from the house. It was rustic but very cozy. BRING EARBUDS! The farm is close to the highway plus tropical forests sounds will keep you up at night if not. There’s a market in walking distance but not much else. A little advice, it might be easier to rent a car during your stay so I’d definitely budget for that. Though there’s a local beach that’s easy to hitch hike too which is pretty sweet. Shoutout to Mafer, Steve, Koya, and Devin too.. much love to you guys (: and thanks Patrick for such an awesome experience! Mahalo.

Bry & Jeff
United States
Dec 23, 2020

My fiance Jeff and I stayed here from August 2020-November 2020. We actually extended our stay twice because we were having such a nice time. Make no mistake, the work is hard and very physical. You should be in good shape and willing to put your nose to the grindstone during working hours.. the first word in WORK-TRADE is work, after all ;) If you put in good effort, you will be rewarded with a great experience. Patrick is a super sweet guy as well as a fair and conscientious host who always made us feel safe and appreciated, as well as respectful of our work and our time. More than once, I got really into a project or task and Patrick insisted that I stop working to honor our agreement. A few notes about the farm - it is a nice atmosphere, but quite rustic (it's a FARM!) Yes, there are geckos in the houses, spiders around the farm, the occasional cockroach in the compost pile. You should be willing to treat the home as your own and clean the common areas; there is no housekeeping staff. The showers are outdoors, so privacy is relatively limited (pretty standard for tropical accommodations.) The dwellings are spread out. If you are looking for a roaring social scene, this is probably not going to be the place (though we did have some amazing barbeques and happy hours on the deck!) We rented a car for the duration of our stay, because the farm is about 25 minutes drive from Kona town. Captain Cook is about a 5 minute drive down the road, and you may have luck with hitchhiking in the back of trucks. Don't expect Patrick to drive you around. He's a nice guy, but not a shuttle service :) We really appreciated that there was extra beach gear for helpers to use, as well as bikes. My hope for our friend Patrick is that he finds helpers who are robust, interested in farming, and can help him further expand his social media presence and online sales. If any of those describe you, drop him a line! We hope to return to Kula Mana again in the future, and send many mahalos to our friend and the great patriarch, Patrick.

Marie-laure Lazareff
France
May 19, 2020

I could not have hoped for better for my first Helpx experience!
Patrick came to pick me up at the airport when I arrived and on the way to the farm, he took a little guided tour of this side of the island. When we arrived at the farm we talked for hours and I realized Patrick's sympathy, generosity, and open-mindedness. The next day I started work and met my great team of Americans, Russians, and Czech. A great team that only confirmed that my stay would be perfect. The ritual is the same, we meet every morning to know our tasks for the day and then we work until 1 p.m. with a mid-morning break. We work from Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m to 1 p.m, which leaves 3 days off to go about our personal occupations. Most of the time, I did everything from pulling weeds and pruning coffee plants to picking mac nuts, chopping down bananas and papayas. We had all the avocados, bananas, coffee and papayas we could handle.
Patrick is always on hand if you need to visit the area and will be able to lend you equipment (snorkeling gear, bike).
We had a lot of free time and the confinement allowed us to live in a “closed” community. The evenings were beautiful and long around good meals, board games and endless discussions. Cookers and personalities have turned out ahaha
The work requires a physical investment of course but what we learn in return is worth it! My learning has grown thanks to Joe. This savvy and experienced farmer who shares his passion with a lot of patience and pedagogy. I hope you meet him too!
I leave the farm with a lot of emotions leaving my co-workers who have become my friends…. But I would see them again!
If you want to work hard and learn around benevolent people, in a sumptuous setting and live in accommodation that offers all the comfort then don't ask yourself the question, you've come to the right place !!!

Nathalie Gunzle
Canada
Dec 27, 2019

What an amazing experience!
I have done many Helpx but staying at Patrick's farm has been by far the most incredible experience I ever done.
Patrick did his best to also accommodate my partner last minute as it was not planned and we both looooooved the beauty of the place. Obviously Hawaii is a dreaming destination ( We, btw, very recommend to rent a car in advance to explore around as it s pretty much the only way to do it )
You are working on the morning from 8 to one, then you are free for adventures like snorkling, swimming, hiking, drink coffee everywhere ahaha )
The comfort you will get at the farm is unbelievable, I 've had the best nights there! You have you're own space, as Patrick lives in his house a bit further.
The place is able to receive 6 helpers at the time ( 2 couples, 2 singles bedroom) all very comfy !
If you love nature like us, you will def fall in love with that peaceful old fashion Japonese farm!
Patrick is the sweetest host I ever had, honestly, he tries his best for everyone to be happy and is naturaly an amazing human being! Thank you so so so much Patrick, has I told you we damn miss the farm already !!!! Mahalo 🌺 Nath&Cédric

Taylor Mayeda
United States
Oct 2, 2019

I had a great stay here, the property is beautiful and the work is very interesting if you like farming and learning about the process of growing / manufacturing coffee and other crops (avocados, mac nuts, papayas, etc.) The work was physically hard at times but I liked feeling as though I was on a hike each morning looking for ripe coffee and nuts! Patrick is very generous and kind - he picked me up from a hostel in Kailua and even let me borrow some camping gear for a roadtrip on my days off which was much appreciated. Thank you again for everything, I'd come back to the Love Shack in a heartbeat!

Martin and Lucie
Czech Republic
Apr 23, 2019

Don´t hesitate to come here! You will experience something unforgettable .
Welcome in heaven and jungle a the same time :)!
The place where will you stay is amazing!!! You will lose your words when you will enter in the house and room. You will fall in love with the ocean view
We have been super lucky and we lived in love shake. We felt like in the middle of jungle: night froggy noise, cute lizards everywhere and ocean view!
Honestly, we had so much fun! We have been a good bunch of people and we had some fun nights together, as well with Patrick and Happy :)!
Patrick is a lovely person who loves people who are keen to help him as much as they can, are creative and try to help grow his farm. So no worry to be active and helpful! He likes to hear your new idea!
Always when Patrick went to somewhere he offered the ride. Sometimes we went together to the beach, chilled, had beers and long chats.
We would be happy to come back to this beautiful place and meet again friendly company Patrick and Hap!
Patrick, thank you a lot for everything! For your help, hospitality and funny company!!!
We will miss you !!!

Francesca Mason
United Kingdom
Jun 20, 2019

My first helpx experience and i couldn't have asked for a better one! Patrick and Hap (the dog) are fantastic hosts, the accommodation was way above my expectations and I truly loved working on the farm and learning about organic farming. Patrick kindly shared the excess avocados, papayas and bananas which i loved and we had great bonfires at the banana grove with our wonderful team. Its located a short drive from great swim spots, manta ray and dolphin encounters and the town. Id recommend renting a car while you are there if you want to make the most out of your time there, its a large island. Thank you again Patrick!

Melinda Jeffs
United States
Jun 27, 2019

Thank you Patrick for the amazing stay. I had so much fun working on the farm. Patrick is an awesome host and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. The accommodation are very nice and the work schedule is perfect giving you afternoons and weekends to explore the island. I've been gone one day and already miss it. I'll be back! - thanks again Patrick.

Chris and Christy
United States
Apr 2, 2019

Kula Mana was a great place to live and work on the Big Island. Patrick was very welcoming and accommodating. We stayed in the Mill House with our dog for several months, and did everything from pulling weeds and pruning coffee plants to picking mac nuts and coffee, chopping down bananas and prepping a new compost pile. We had all of the avocados, bananas, coffee and papayas we could handle. The farm dog, Hap, was a good companion for our dog. Patrick was helpful when we needed a lift to the airport and let everyone know when he was going to town or the beach so we could tag along. He expects a good day's work, but only 20 hours a week is totally reasonable for what he provides to volunteers. I won't miss the mosquitoes, but it was an excellent place to winter in the jungle.

Tristan and Nadia
Canada
Jun 18, 2017

When we first arrived here, Larry was our host, we were there for two weeks, then he told us he was selling the farm. We then met the new owners; Patrick and Kathleen. They are very positive and adventurous people. We could never thank them enough for their generosity. We had many open-minded and deep conversations, and countless fun nights. We will never forget Kathleen's delicious roasted mac nuts and Patrick's famous guacamole. The work was fair, and the farm is like a tropical paradise. We look forward to going back to Kula Mana Farms someday.
Sincerely,
Nadia and Tristan