Heal the Land - And Each Other
When I moved to Kauaʻi 15 years ago and left my finance career behind in NYC, I knew nothing about herbal medicine. I was first introduced to noni, then turmeric, and tulsi. I was hooked, crafting and drinking tea by the gallon daily. The plants healed me from the inside out, like nothing I had ever experienced. So simple and gentle, yet effective. I couldn’t help but ask, “How could tea provide such radical transformation?” My body, mind, and life energies were revitalizing themselves with every sip. As our trust in plant medicine grew, we emptied out our medicine cabinets and planted a medicine farm on the north shore of Kauaʻi, akin to the healing powers of the Spice Islands of yesteryear. We dug deep every day—physically, mentally, and spiritually. Through this experiential process, we were introduced to the infinite powers of Kauaʻi-grown plant medicine.
After a 10-year career on Wall Street, I was ready to franchise Kauai Farmacy before I even put a seed in the ground. There was no such vertically integrated, boutique, quality-centered medicine farm on the planet. I was certain the world was ready for this, but the land and plants were not concerned with my ambitious plans. As long days on the farm turned into months and then years, I was soon forced to surrender to the speed at which Kauai Farmacy would come together, grow, and expand. For example, cacao, soursop, loquat, amla, and all-spice trees, as well as vanilla and black pepper vines, all take six-plus years before they are ready for harvest. Moreover, the permaculture systems necessary in the tropical jungles of Kauaʻi for such a refined herbal medicine operation were beyond our farming community’s collective experiences and resources. Eventually, I learned to scrap the business plan in full acceptance of what is, allow, and embrace the unfolding, and humbly surrender control of the outcome to the elements. We learned, out of survival, how to deepen our alignment with the land–step by step. Holistic wellness is now embodied by our team of farmers, alchemists, and healers through their balance, longevity, and enjoyment on the journey.
Our Tea House, where we craft our herbal medicine, is surrounded by four lush acres of jungle medicine gardens. We listen, we observe, and work in a humble connection with the plants, the land, and the elements to produce the highest efficacy herbal medicine possible. We now grow over a hundred tropical plant varieties, harvesting roots, flowers, berries, fruits, seeds, and leaves to create organic teas, salves, serums, tinctures, honeys, and more. We operate a closed-loop, small farm permaculture system, cultivating the vast majority of inputs from the farm itself. Our aim has always been to start from the ground up, cultivating the fertility of the soil and the diversity of the jungle gardens, which transfers an integrated harmony into the plant medicine alchemy. Our seventy-plus healing products are crafted with minimal heat or intervention. They naturally embody the colors of the rainbow and are derived from the highest frequency of volcanic vitamins and minerals on the planet.
Late summer is often a period of intense productivity for us. We receive the sun’s strong energetic rays directly and through our food, working to “photosynthesize” it into personal growth. The herbs help us ground our intentions and balance our life energies. Burn-out is our biggest health concern during this time, as we insatiably try to capture all the abundance that is readily available to nourish us. I love all the herbs, but I am particularly drawn to cranberry hibiscus for vitamin C, Lemon balm for calming, moringa for protein, kava for restoration, tulsi for enhancing self-awareness, ashwagandha to boost libido, noni for circulation, and chaste to balance hormones during these high-productivity months. The plants and our community are our inspiration. The healing powers of Kauaʻi-grown plant medicine are cleansing, restorative, and revitalizing in nature. We are inspired to share these superpowers with mankind to heal each other and the land.
- Doug Wolkon - excerpt from 1 Hotel interview
