Passion + Career = Paradise Found

Everyone has their own little slice of paradise. You only need to find it!

Just off the same road that takes you to the southernmost point of the United States (South Point in Naalehu, Hawaii) sits a 75-acre organic farm: Paradise Meadows Orchard and Bee Farm. It’s the home to 1400 lime trees, 300 Sharwil avocado trees, coffee trees, macadamia nut trees, 35 beehives, a slew of various veggies, and, of course, a family of parrots.

From the minute you pull into their “off the beaten path” driveway, you are immediately greeted with a warm Aloha and encouraged to sample from a huge selection of local goods, ranging from chocolate-covered macadamia nuts to their award-winning coffee. 

When I visited Hawaii a few years ago, Paradise Meadows was a must-stop. When we arrived, the generosity of the whole staff was overwhelming and touched our hearts. The owner, Scott Buske, is a jolly and sincere chap. He came out to greet us and explain the procedures for proper macadamia nut processing. Later on, his wife, Megan, gave us a detailed tour of the farm.

Everything on the farm was truly a sight to behold. Apple bananas growing in plenty, plump limes ready to be harvested, and the scent of papaya flowers in the air had me awestruck.

But as an entrepreneur, something that stood out to me was the farm’s efficiency.

They utilize an aquaponics system to feed and water the vegetable gardens and greenhouse. They told me, “Aquaponics is the fusion of two methods of farming – Aquaculture (fish farming) and Hydroponics (growing in water instead of soil).” However, unlike hydroponics, their “closed pond” system requires no chemicals to maintain and uses virtually no water to grow a bounty of produce.

The efficiency of their honey production caught my attention as well. With dozens of varieties of flowers on the property, the honey (depending on the time of harvest and what the bees fed on) will always have different flavor notes. For example, their winter honey has flavor properties of avocado blossom and macadamia nut nectar. It’s simply divine!

Of course, through my holistic business lens, this operation offered far more than just efficiency and sustainability. To me, the most vital part of the farm was the intrinsic hum of a wholesome community.

On our trip, we encountered five members of the staff, each greeting us with a bright smile and a helping hand. This spoke to me. I believe that when your passion melds with your career, you’ve achieved nirvana, and Paradise Meadows has struck this sweet spot. Their joy to share what they’ve created was overflowing. We left nourished from the inside out.

With that in mind, my challenge to you is this – have a look at your business. Does it feel like a drag, or does it still “juice you up?” If it’s the former, it’s time to re-evaluate, tweak, or go back to the drawing board until you strike the perfect balance of doing what you love and loving what you do.

Until next time…breathe joy,
Kc

P.S. Have you ever been to a place that feels like paradise? Have you ever had that feeling with your business? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!