Kia'i Farm of Waialua is stewarded and run by Nicci Lee Mowat.

HOW THE FARM CAME TO BE-

Nicciʻs dream was to find Hawaiian land where she could farm, create food sovereignty and create space for Spiritual development and healing, but also a place she could legally live with her daughter.  She also wanted to clean and work with the land.  Heal the land that had not been consciously cared for since her ancestors lived on this land, the Hawaiian way. She dreamed of creating value added food product, and flowers for the community.

MAHINA, NICCIʻS DAUGHTER, LEGACY-

Mahinaʻs bloodline on her fathers side traces back to King Kamehameha The Great and Kamakau.  Mahina and Nicci first walked this land over 13 years ago, lwhen Mahina was 2 years old. Long before it was CPRʻed and offered for sale in 5 acre parcels. Nicci has photo of Mahina on this stream. It is a beautiful story for Hawaiian land being returned to Hawaiian hands.  And even more special that this land is from her direct bloodline. Nicci dreamed of this land since she first walked it over 13 years ago. With a goal of returning this family Hawaiian lands back to bloodline through Mahina.

5 Acres is a lot of land to maintain and work.  It will be a life long project.  One Mahina and Nicci see as a massive honor.  Humbly they walk this stewardship knowing it is the the most profound gift and calling.  They named the farm, Kiaʻi, honoring the calling to protect and hold sacred the land.

PARTNERS IN THE LAND-

School friends of Nicciʻs, Aubrey and Brady Yee, also had similar dreams to find agriculture land on the North side of Oahu.  Bradyʻs families history in Waialua dates back to a Grandfather that was a Postmaster and the chief of Police of Waialua. 

Both Yeeʻs and The Mowatʻs shared the dream to clean and honor the land, grow healthy food, and develop space for Spiritual development and healing. When Dole began selling their farm land in Waialua, their dream of farm land ownership came to pass.  

At the start of 2021 they purchased 5 acres of previously owned Dole land on the Kaukonahua stream.  They began building their dreams.  Nicci & Mahinaʻs under the name of Kiaʻi Farm of Waialua.  The Yeeʻs Farm, Eluawaipili Farm includes a School and a Non- profit Church Temple, The Hokuao Temple.  Two families with two like minded dreams wove together on this sacred land. 

NICCIʻS BUILDS-

When she first acquired the land she wanted to learn and explore building off grid solution AG structures. She salvaged shed and plantation home that were to be demoed. She moved these salvaged structures, repurposed them in and built out different food and flower production AG structures.   

Since Nicci became land a steward, she and the Yeeʻs have opened spaces for private events including breath work, sound bowl healing, women's circles, dance events, weekend retreats and more.  Within the first 2 years the partners have created all kinds of beautiful community spaces including a large outdoor entertaining deck, a large open grass area, a food forest, an orchard, multiple other spaces for education, flower & food processing, a temple and a yoga shala.

ABOUT NICCI-

Nicci Lee is a Chinese, Hawaiian, Caucasian creative from Oahu.  Her Chinese grandmother's family came to the islands to work in the plantation of Honokaa.  Her Hawaiian Grandfather was a secret revealed by a DNA test after her grandparents and parents had passed.  The DNA test revealed William Kaholokula as her Grandfather.

Nicci's background as a creative is wide ranged. Her career includes Interior Design, Floral Design, furniture design and production, clothing design and production, video production, marketing, building.  Sheʻs the owner of retail shop, Cocoʻs Trading Post, the mocktail/coffee bar, Coco & The Sage and Interior Design studio, Nicci Lee Designs, niccilee.com, and now farming with Kiaʻi Farm of Waialua. Recently Nicci retired from retail to become a full time farmer.  Building her dreams of living with the land and creating natural and healing products.

Nicciʻs Retails Shop- COCOʻS TRADING POST-

Nicci owns a local, unique, one of a kind finds, retail shop, Coco's Trading Post. Here she sells home goods and gifts, collected items, vintage and products grown and produced at the farm. She calls it modern aloha.  Collectables from Hawaii and all over the world.  All hand crafted supporting artists. You can find us online at www.cocostradingpost.com

COCO & THE SAGE-

In May of 2024 Nicci opened a medicinal elixir cafe, Coco & The Sage.  In this beautiful moody bar/cafe they funnel organic fruits and herbs from local farmers through drinks to the community. All drinks are non-alcoholic and medicinal.  They serve organic coffee, tea and dreamy hand crafted mocktails.  In addition the menu hosts aruveydic options as well as certified herbalist tinctures you can add to your drinks.  They are medicine magic makers at this sweet little cafe tucked into their Coco's Trading Post shop in Haleiwa town on the North Shore of Oahu.  

The Sage was recently closed and will be switching gears.  Rather than a retail cafe, Coco & The Sage will morph into a farm experience and a farm market.  She will offering farm tours where we educate others on living off, with the land. She hopes to explore doing farm to table, farm to cup, quaint spaces to relax in Waialua on this sacred and beautiful land.  Guests will also be able to browse their offerings of value added products from the farm. Look for updates at www.cocoandthesage.com or IG @cocoandthesage