_ It’ s a Family Affair at Ahualoa Farms By Barbara Garcia
KeOlaMagazine.com | July - August 2021
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orn and raised on a citrus ranch in Southern Chelsea, suggested they look for a farm in Hawai‘i. Years California, farming runs in Chad Cleveland’s blood. His father, earlier, she lived in Kona, and Chad recalls, “She had a crazy grandfather, and great-grandfather were farmers and Chad has idea we might be able to farm here. In 2015, we started always loved having his hands in the dirt. He went to school traveling out for exploratory trips, bringing our families, at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, obtaining a including the babies. We explored the island, learning about degree in agronomy in 2004, while living and working on the the different crops and regions, soil types, weather, and campus farm. After graduation, the school offered him a fullmarkets. We starting coming over a few times a year for time job as farm manager. His father and Cal Poly taught him several years, traveled all over the island and got to know the “learn by doing” philosophy. people. I always said I didn’t want to get into mac nuts and Chad always had a coffee, I wanted knack for business. something unique, What he didn’t but our real estate learn in school, he agent knew the self-taught instead. owners of Āhualoa It came naturally Farms...” because he wanted to do it on his own. Fateful Accidents Eventually Chad Mike and Linda leased 20 acres in Watson started Chino, California. Āhualoa Farms by He got a small accident. They had beginning farmer a tiny farm, and loan from American would harvest their Ag Credit and own mac nuts, roast borrowed equipment them, and give them from a farmer friend. to friends. Linda was He planted his first encouraged by her crop, alfalfa, for friends to sell them, the dairy industry so she started at a in Chino while still farmers’ market in working his day Waimea. Someone job at Cal Poly. from a resort tasted Any profit he made them and asked if on the farm, he she could provision reinvested. Later them, which led Chad leased another to needing a 30 acres and hired commercial kitchen. his first employee. The Watsons It grew to where he were supposedly was leasing 2,000 retired, but Mike acres and had 30 was a contractor, The Ähualoa Family Farms ÿohana. Adults, left to right: Justin, Brendon, Chelsea, Ryan, Matt, Kia, and Chad. employees plus so they purchased Keiki, left to right: Ivy, Aria, Adler, Levi, Magnus, and Zoie. photo courtesy of Chad Cleveland a fleet of trucks the former and tractors. Chad sugarcane fueling marvels, “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d own station (which had been a home in between) at the east side a John Deere tractor.” His farms continued to grow as he of Honoka‘a on Mamane Street, and he converted it to a provided for the dairy industry: alfalfa, corn, wheat, oats, and commercial kitchen and gift shop. Their retirement business hay. became more than full-time jobs, so after a while they decided As development encroached and the urban sprawl moved in to sell it. from Los Angeles County, the farmland became houses. The Chad says, “We hadn’t considered the Honoka‘a area up to land values in California were “insane” and all of Chadʻs leased this point, but we met the Watsons and hit it off great, so we farmland was destined for development, so he needed a new made a deal with them and the rest is history.” Chad’s cousin, place to continue. Justin Padgett, who had never been to the island before, was With his passion for farming and knowledge of business, the first to move. Chad’s sister, Chelsea, and her husband, Chad was always looking for new opportunities. His sister, Ryan Fontanilla, moved soon after, and Chad went back and
