We are mainland transplants: David from the Chicago area, Wendy from New York. We are island residents of 40 years, twenty on Maui and twenty on Hawai`i Island. We loved Maui and found it hard to leave until we were offered the caretaker/manager position at Lama Tharchin Rinpoche’s Tibetan Buddhist retreat center, Orgyen Dechen Chöd Dzong, in Ka`ū, the southern-most part of Hawai`i Island. Until we came to Ka`ū we weren't sure what we were looking for but we certainly knew it when we found it—beautiful, rural, rugged, small-town Hawai`i.
We are eco-concious and knew we wanted to build 'green.' The nature surrounding us is the source of our water and energy. The electric system powered by the sun provides all the standard amenities. Soft rain water is triple filtered and UV sterilized.
We love gardening and animals, grow some of our food, and are the caretakers of the chickens, goats, donkeys, horse and dogs that complete the picture.