Support for Blake Briddell and Brit Yim.

Please join us in supporting our friends’ effort to recover their farm from back-to-back devastating floods on Oahu’s north shore.

The first storm was the worst in 75 years, as ~27 inches fell on Mt Ka’ala and drained down onto the farm. Nine days later, the second storm proved to be even more destructive, as flood levels rose to 9+ feet.

The first storm flooded everything except their truck and home, which miraculously stayed ~3 inches above the water line. In a cruel twist of fate, after a week of intensive clean up, the second storm wiped out everything that was left.

As the flood level rapidly rose by a foot every 20 minutes, they were forced to swim out in the middle of the night and evacuate to higher ground. The farm is adjacent to one of the largest drainage ditches in the area, resulting in severe damage or destruction to literally everything:

- Nursery & greenhouse

- Orchards

- 3 tiny houses

- 4 shipping containers

- 3 sheds

- All machines & vehicles

- Many tools & equipment

About ‘Auku’u Farm...

In late 2017, Blake Briddell and Brittany Yim purchased 8 acres of neglected, former sugar cane plantation. The farm is located in Mokulēʻia, which means “isle of abundance,” and refers to the area's long history of rich food production. As stewards of the land, they set off with lofty ambitions of restoring the area to its former agricultural glory.

The following few years were spent cleaning decades of rubbish and overgrowth, while establishing a nursery and greenhouse to prepare for the next phase.

Significant resources went into infrastructure - establishing a road in, installing over a mile of water lines, building structures to support farm operations, and a skate ramp to mix in some fun amongst all of the hard work.

From there, the real fun began - it was time to plant!

- More than a hundred clumps of bamboo were purchased to provide windbreaks.

- A steady stream of volunteers helped plant and harvest thousands of pounds of taro, all of which was donated to native Hawaiian communities.

- Hundreds of fruit trees were grown in the nursery and out-planted - orchards of ‘ulu (breadfruit), mango, and citrus, along with a diversified fruit forest.

Everything was done the right way: organically and in line with regenerative permaculture principles. They never once sprayed a drop of pesticide or herbicide.

Losses are estimated in the range of $200,000, not including labor:

- Tractor, skidsteer, mower, UTV, ebike (value ~$75,000)

- Both of their vehicles ($30,000)

- Damage to 3 tiny houses ($25,000)

- Solar system ($20,000)

- Nursery / greenhouse inventory + damage ($15,000)

- Skate ramp ($12,000)

- Variety of tools ($5,000)

- Water pumps, irrigation equipment ($2,500)

- Crop losses - trees are beginning to die but total extent of damage TBD

We greatly appreciate your support.