I have been working with Hawaiian Clay Co. Since 2010. We include Hawaiian Clay in our Daily Micro-Exfoliant, and it is a key ingredient in our Ola Mask. The clay harvested on their private property is full of magnesium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, and tons of trace minerals. This clay is extremely healing, purifying, and somewhat magical.
I have always wanted to visit and see for myself how the 'alae' was harvested, dried and sifted. This past May I was able to visit Awalau Farms. I was excited about the possible opportunity to meet up with renown and innovative entrepreneur, Jeremy Safron. Jeremy is the owner of the property and author of "The Raw Truth" providing recipes and resources that helped to usher in the raw food movement years ago.
Jeremy also invented Dragon Yoga http://www.dragonyoga.com/ Dragon Yoga is a fusion of Taoist Chi Kung, Various Forms of Yoga, and a synthesis of Shaolin Kung Fu and other Traditional Chinese Martial Arts. It was invented to promote health, focus, stamina, and speed.
Jeremy bought Awalau Farms property in upcountry Maui around ten years ago and has been working on it ever since. Jeremy is responsible for the carving out of the road and installation of a sustainable water supply system. He is also raising horses and sews healing plants into the earth like tumeric and comfrey using permacultural methods. Jeremy is also the only person known in the islands to be breeding and raising horn-less goats. This property also contains sites of mineral rich alae which is sustainably harvested with love and care to (never take too much from one area).
All of this is done on their property that hugs the Rainforest Preserve which stretches all the way to Hana.
I flew over to Maui to meet with Jeremy and his assistant Olivia. I drove up a curvy and increasingly wet road until I found the beginning of the property. Olivia was kind enough to pick me up at the entrance so that I didn't get my car stuck in the crazy terrain ( like others) !
I opened the gate and could see the rainforest- tree line the distance..
We came around a bend and found a site that Olivia has been working on harvesting. It is clear that the earth is being purified by water working it's way down from the rainforest. Rainy season ends in June.
Olivia showed me the variation in color of the alae. If you look closely where the rock meets the clay you can see a tiny copper water tube guiding rain water down the cliff side in the photo below.
This stream runs through the property.
Olivia took me past the pineapples and to the drying rack.
Here is a large piece of alae solar drying near the horses.
Olivia showed me the sifting processes and explained the labor of love involved
Finally, we have a finished product ready to ship out to companies like ours.
Right as we were finishing, Jeremy pulled up to say hello :)
I got to venture with Olivia further into the property and saw the treeline up close ..
Rainforest indeed. What a magical place. Thank you Jeremy and Olivia for your Hawaiian hospitality. I can't wait to visit again!
Awalau Farms http://awalaufarm.com/
Hawaiian Clay http://hawaiianclay.com/