Maui Farm Plan
by Eric Newman

To build a house on agricultural land in Maui you have to submit a Farm Plan Application to the Department of Planning for the County of Maui.  Basically you show how you intend on using at least 50 percent of the land for agricultural purposes.  Agricultural endeavors can be growing fruits or vegetables, flowers, trees, raising animals, pasture land, etc.  Many folks in Maui file a farm plan and then forget about it, but if you can follow your approved plan, that area is taxed at a lower rate.

I actually intend on fulfilling the farm plan.  Because the land is sloped, trees would be a better choice than crops.  I love Koa wood and native Hawaiian trees so the first thing I did was to plant over 50 native Koa, 'Ohi'a Lehua, and not-so-native Monkeypod and Teak trees. 

Item	Structure	Description
1	Farm Dwelling	3,116 sq. ft. footprint
2	Barn and Greenhouse	1,080 sq. ft. footprint
3	6,000 gal. water tank 20,000 gal. water tank	113 sq. ft. footprint 314 sq. ft. footprint
4	Septic Tank and Leach Field	820 sq. ft. footprint
5	Standpipe / Fire Hydrant	n/a

Item	Agricultural Items	Area (sq. ft.)	Area (acres)
A	Mango, Papaya, Starfruit, Avacado, Pineapple, Lemon, Lime, Orange, Plumeria, Stephanotis, Tuberose, Kou (Cordia subcordata)	6,923 sq. ft.	0.1589 acre
B	Lawai Fern, Passion Fruit, Pohinahina, Naupaka	6,284 sq. ft.	0.1443 acre
C	Terraced Walls: Taro, Sweet Potato, Lettuce, Pineapple	11,256 sq. ft.	0.2584 acre
D	Bananas	1,757 sq. ft.	0.0403 acre
E	Hybrid Plumeria for propagation	1,539 sq. ft.	0.0353 acre
F	Hardwood Forest: Acacia Koa, 'Ohi'a Luhia, Kuo (Cordia subcordata), Milo (Thespesia populnea, Monkeypod (Samamea saman), Teak (Tecona grandis), Black Bamboo (Bambusa lako, Gigantochloa atroviolacea, Dendrocalamus asper), Kamani (Calophyllum inophyllum)	37,342 sq. ft.	0.8573 acre
G	Papaya, Plumeria, Ti	1,020 sq. ft.	0.0234 acre
H	Acacia Koa, 'Ohi'a Luhia, Kuo (Cordia subcordata), Monkeypod (Samamea saman), Acacia Koaia, ‘A‘ali‘i, Kamani (Calophyllum inophyllum)	11,553 sq. ft.	0.2652 acre
I	Koi Ponds, Koi (Cyprinus carpio carpio)	590 sq. ft.	0.0135 acre
Agricultural Item Totals:		78,264 sq. ft.	1.7967 acres 51.33%
Item	Agricultural Structures	Area (sq. ft.)	Area (acres)
2	Greenhouse: Tomatoes, Lettuce, Orchids, Seed Propagation	360 sq. ft.	0.0083 acre
3	Catchment Water Tanks exclusively for agriculture, 6,000 gallon and 20,000 gallon	427 sq. ft.	0.0098 acre
Agricultural Totals:		79,051 sq. ft.	1.8148 acres 51.85%

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Clouds Reflecting of Water November 3, 2010

Taro Growing on Top Rock Terrace

Neighbor George Kahumoku Helping Harvest Taro

Nine Monkeypod Trees Planted Along Path to Barn

Barn with Cupola and Wind Vane

Top Koi Pond Dug April 30, 2010

Stream and Bottom Koi Pond Dug

Terraced Walls with Stairs Viewed from Below

Native Hawaiian 'Ohi'a Lehua in Bloom

Koa Tree July 30, 2010

Koa Trees on Slope Above House

Bananas and Papayas in Lower Clearing

20,000 Gallon Water Tank and Solar / Battery Operated Pump

Water Tank and 160W Solar Panels

Gutter Catchment in Back of Barn

Greenhouse with Plants May 10, 2010

Greenhouse Interior with Lettuce

Thermostatically Controlled Waterbed Heater

Sink, Potting Area, and Seed Starting Area

Lotsa Lettuce in Greenhouse

Lawai Fern Planted along Driveway

Lawai Fern Planted along Driveway

Lawai Fern Planted along Driveway

For as this appalling ocean surrounds the verdant land, so in the soul of man there lies one insular Tahiti, full of peace and joy, but encompassed by all the horrors of the half known life.

— Herman Melville