For those of you who do not know who I am, my name is Isabelle Segadelli Class of 2018. I am currently on co-op working as an intern at Kokolulu Farm and Cancer Retreat in Hawi, Hawaii. Their mission is:
“At Kokolulu Farm and Retreats we are committed to providing a sanctuary for people facing chronic illness or those wanting to improve their self care skills , support for them emotionally in a healing environment and education to teach them techniques and attitudes to give them courage, strength and love.” – Kokolulu Farm and Cancer Retreats
As an intern at Kokolulu I work on the organic farm using and learning about the farming technique known as Natural Farming. They believe that food is the best medicine which I am inclined to agree since that is what fuels our bodies to stay healthy and also help us heal when we are not. Every day I awaken to a beautiful sunrise (I also question as to why I’ve decided to be up at the hour of 7AM). My work usually begins with turning the compost, it is warm and humid all-year round in Hawaii so everything deteriorates sooner or later. I meet with my supervisors and am given a list of tasks for the day that range from simply weeding a garden to building a new chicken coop. When the sun dips over the horizon and the day is almost done I go about watering all the plants and fall asleep to the sound of crickets singing. I chose this co-op for a couple of reasons. The first was to escape the Ohio winter (my apologies for those of you who are currently experiencing it), the second was that as a Biomedical Science major I am interested in cancer, how it works, the different variations of it and the different types of treatment we use today to combat its affects. Last quarter I took a Genetics class where we studied cancer and the way it functions on a cellular level. I have found this knowledge basis to be very helpful as I learn more about the holistic treatment that is practiced here at Kokolulu. Working on the farm has also increased my interest in nutrition and the way different foods affect the human body. This is my first time learning about Natural Farming and I am planning on taking some ideas I’ve already gained from it and bringing it back to Antioch and implement on the farm.
To learn more: www.cancer-retreats.org/
