Hawaii Farmers Rally Together After Devastating Floods

When Eddie Oroyan and his wife Jessica watched floodwater rise a foot every 20 minutes around their Hawaii farm, they knew their dream was drowning. But they're not giving up.

Two massive storms hit Oahu in March, bringing some of the worst flooding the island has seen in two decades. LewaTerra Farm, which the couple started just last year on the north shore, was thriving before the water came. They were selling vegetables at farmers markets and delivering fresh produce to local restaurants.

The first storm wiped out their papayas and tomatoes. The couple immediately started cleaning up and replanting, determined to bounce back. "We were like, OK, we're going to make it out of this," Oroyan said.

Then the second storm hit days later. This one was worse, with water rising so fast they had to evacuate in chest-deep floods. When they returned, disease had already set into their underwater crops.

Across Oahu, more than 300 farms reported similar devastation, totaling about $17.5 million in damage. Haley McKinnon of Ahiki Acres saw 20 inches of rain fall in an area that normally gets 30 inches for an entire year. Blake Briddell and Brit Yim watched helplessly as water surrounded their eight-acre farm at 1:30 in the morning, climbing so fast they couldn't drive out.

But here's what makes this story remarkable. These farmers prepared together, warned each other, and are now rebuilding side by side.

The Ripple Effect

Hawaii's small farming community has faced intense flooding before, and that experience is now their greatest asset. Farmers elevated equipment before the storms hit, shared weather updates, and checked on each other throughout the disaster.

The Hawaii Farm Bureau is coordinating recovery efforts, connecting farmers with resources and helping them navigate the overwhelming cleanup. Governor Josh Green issued an emergency proclamation to bring additional support into affected communities.

Despite thick mud that swallows tractors, damaged roads, and soaked equipment, farmers like Oroyan are already back in their fields. They're replanting eggplant and okra, washing off equipment, and preparing for the next harvest. McKinnon and Briddell are doing the same, drawing on years of experience weathering Hawaii's unpredictable storms.

The estimated $1 billion in total damage across the islands means recovery will take time. But these farmers aren't waiting around. They know their communities depend on locally grown food, and they're committed to providing it.

After everything the storms took away, Hawaii's farmers still have something the floods couldn't touch: resilience and each other.