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Our Inspiration
‘Oko’a Farms is a Maui family farm established by Ryan Earehart and his business partner Sal Gil Coca.
Meaning “whole” or “different” in Hawaiian, ‘Oko’a reflects the team’s commitment to a holistic approach to agriculture.
Ryan from the early days of selling produce at local farmers markets
The magic behind ‘Oko’a comes from Sal’s expertise in farm production and Ryan’s passion for community networking through healthy food. Their presence in Maui has built a robust network of dozens of local vendors and producers.
Their operations began on a lone parcel of land in Kula, then to a lone farmer’s market. As they grew to four weekly markets, they gained such popularity that customers would wait 20 minutes to purchase their produce.
2 am start times and setting up and taking down a store 4 times a week eventually wore its welcome!
In 2015, Dr. Dean began her philanthropic journey by purchasing two specialty tractors for ‘Oko’a, increasing their efficiency.
Dr. Dean first met Ryan after a produce delivery. Over time, she learned of the challenges farmers face-from acquiring loans to exorbitant overhead costs and elaborate logistics. Touched by Ryan’s hard work and candor, she became an angel investor.
Her investments grew to include volunteering at the markets, recruiting friends and colleagues to join her, and loaning over 2 million in low-interest support.
In the midst of covid-19, where many businesses were forced to close their doors, ‘Oko’a leveraged her support. With the help of Dr. Dean and others, ‘Oko’a quadrupled their reach to residents by moving into the permanent storefront.
Today, they manage 56 acres while providing access to a cornucopia of fresh food, 7 days a week. Through their store, they bring incredible access and visibility to Maui’s locally grown and locally produced food.
Dr. Dean first met Ryan after a produce delivery. Over time, she learned of the challenges farmers face-from acquiring loans to exorbitant overhead costs and elaborate logistics. Touched by Ryan’s hard work and candor, she became an angel investor.
Her investments grew to include volunteering at the markets, recruiting friends and colleagues to join her, and loaning over 2 million in low-interest support.
In the midst of covid-19, where many businesses were forced to close their doors, ‘Oko’a leveraged her support. With the help of Dr. Dean and others, ‘Oko’a quadrupled their reach to residents by moving into the permanent storefront.
Today, they manage 56 acres while providing access to a cornucopia of fresh food, 7 days a week. Through their store, they bring incredible access and visibility to Maui’s locally grown and locally produced food.
Opens permanent storefront in upcountry Maui.
Provides access and quality of food in Maui’s ‘Ohana in the produce-centric market.
Offers nearly 100 varieties of organically grown fruits, vegetables, herbs and value-added products.
Employs organic and regenerative farm methods that have a positive impact among the community.
Participates in the EBT Da Bux program, providing over 30% of their customer base 50% off their organic produce.
“After 11 years of selling produce at four different farmers markets around Maui, we finally opened our own store. It is a big change for me and Sal. We have dreamed of this day for decades… Our storefront is our commitment to the community to improve access and quality of food for our ‘Ohana.”
Ryan Earehart, ‘Oko’a Farms.
The spark of one person’s inspiration can ripple out and become a movement.
PGF intends to inspire passionate individuals and organizations to rally together for Maui’s organic farming community.
We offer an open invitation to you, to take action and help us champion Maui’s resilient future.