How We Grow

Aquaponics

Leafy greens, like all crops, need the right balance of water and nutrients to grow. Crops grown in soil put their energy into constantly searching for those two things. In an aquaponic environment, water and nutrients are always available to the leafy greens so they can invest their energy into healthy growth. This means those greens can thrive.

Aquaponics

Trays of chard at the farm
Freshly harvested chard at Nalo Farms

When growing anything, the nutrients needed will be ‘natural’ or ‘synthetic’. Leafy greens grown in soil rely on chemical or animal fertiliser to supplement what they can pull from the land.

We believe aquaponics is the best approach – the water in which our beautiful fish swim also delivers the nutrients our leafy greens love. The only external inputs for our constantly-circulating water are the fish feed and the occasional addition of a few minerals.

When growing anything, the nutrients
needed will be ‘natural’ or ‘synthetic’.
Leafy greens grown in soil rely on
chemical or animal fertiliser to
supplement what they can
pull from the land.

We believe aquaponics is the best approach – the water in which our beautiful fish swim also delivers the nutrients our leafy greens love. The only external inputs for our constantly-circulating water are the fish feed and the occasional addition of a few minerals.

In turn, the plants filter and clean the water for the fish. This closed-loop system is a great example of sustainability in real life.

We are able to grow at least 50% more leafy greens in the same amount of space compared to growing in soil. This is part of how we make our product affordable.

Delivery of nutrients by the fish

The Team @ Nalo Farms

Jason

Co-Founder and CEO

Jason Brand is the co-founder of Nalo Farms and has been farming in Hawaii for over 15 years. Passionate about food systems, efficient growing methodologies that protect the ‘aina, and making locally-grown food affordable, Jason has helped develop some of the largest sustainable farms in the islands. Jason is a passionate advocate for farming in Hawai’i and the importance of ‘grow local / feed local’.

Jason Brand is the co-founder of Nalo Farms and has been farming in Hawaii for over 15 years. Passionate about food systems, efficient growing methodologies that protect the ‘aina, and making locally-grown food affordable, Jason has helped develop some of the largest sustainable farms in the islands. Jason is a passionate advocate for farming in Hawai’i
and the importance of
‘grow local / feed local’.

Scott

Co-Founder

Scott Wo is co-founder of Nalo Farms, and is especially passionate about ensuring young people in O’ahu learn about sustainable farming practices such as aquaponics. Together with Jason, Scott is building one of the largest sustainable farms in Hawai’i, and he often leads school groups that visit the farm to learn.

Dean

Advisor

Dean Okimoto has been farming in Hawaii for over 40 years. Having founded the original Nalo Farms, Dean became known in the Hawai’i culinary scene as ‘Da Farmer’. Dean recently joined the farm previously known as Kunia Country Farms (now re-named Nalo Farms) as we expand.

Jose

Farm manager

Jose Cacdac has been Nalo Farms’ (previously Kunia Country Farms) manager for more than 10 years. Jose’s responsibilities cover all aspects of ensuring we grow healthy leafy greens and raise healthy fish in our aquaponic system. Jose is overseeing the dramatic expansion of the farm to meet market demand.