Lokoea Farms

Cozily tucked away along Hale‘iwa’s ‘Anahulu River, family-run Lokoea Farms produces some of Hawai‘i’s juiciest fruits. Started in 2000, by father-daughter duo, Noe and Donald Neumann, Lokoea Farms aims to master what it means to produce the most delicious fruits Hawai‘i can offer.

Historically, the Neumann’s farmed along the ‘Anahulu River Valley.  Noe Neumann, second generation owner of Lokoea Farms, explained that her dad started the farm about twenty years ago when his sugar company fell out of business. He started leasing land and planting the trees without too much of a farm plan. Neumann grew up on the lands that became Lokoea Farms for majority of her life so it wasn’t a hard decision for her to come back and support the farm. “I was on the mainland for a while when my dad asked me if I wanted to come back and help,” said Neumann. “I was like, yeah definitely.” Moving back to help her dad in 2015, she has now become a seasoned farmer and has loved farming since.

Neumann says that Lokoea Farm’s mission is to grow high quality fruits for the people that live in Hawai‘i. The tender love and care that Neumann puts into her eight-acre orchard is reflected in the beautiful fruits she produces. Using regenerative farming practices, recycled rainwater, and organic pesticides, Neumann is able to achieve a premium product filled with aloha. In addition to sustainable farming, Neumann also hopes to  change the perception of fruit, proving that not all high-quality fruit has to look perfect. She voices that ugly fruit can pack the same flavorful punch as perfect store-bought fruit. Sometimes, these uglies can even be yummier.

Another side to the business is the farm tours and farm stays. The tours offer an in-depth view of how Neumann keeps the farm running and ends with a picnic where you can taste some of the farm-fresh fruit. “Just this weekend we had some volunteers from the Go Farm Orchard Class come here to do a tour and learn a little about the farm and they also helped us plant some trees,” said Neumann. The farm stay is another amazing experience that the farm offers, acting as perfect base camp for exploring the North Shore and the rest of O‘ahu. Tucked away from the tourist filled towns, the farm offers a place to hang out in a relaxing and scenic abode. For more information on these experiences and to keep up with the farm, check out their d website at www.lokoeafarms.com.

With the future looking bright, Neumann currently spends her time looking after her farm and her kids. She is happy with her current balance of farm life and family with more on the horizon once her children start going to school. Although, Neumann is taking a break from expanding the farm, there are plans for a retail farmstand to sell refreshing juices and smoothies using the fruits from their farm.