Farmers promote sustainable agriculture on Lanai’s Palawai Basin

Alejado’s Lanai Grown Farm is the primary supplier of local, pasture-raised eggs on the island.

Palawai Basin is a land of opportunity for Sidney Alejado and Mos Masicampo, two farmers who are working hard to improve their businesses and provide for their families and community.

Alejado, the owner of Lanai Grown Farm, and Masicampo, the owner of Lanai Goat and Sheep Farm, LLC, both use the land to raise their animals — Alejado raises free-range chickens, while Masicampo raises goats and sheep. Despite their different animals, they share a common goal — to produce high-quality, sustainable food and help the local community become self-sufficient.

Alejado has been farming since 2014, and his love for animals and nature dates back to his childhood. Growing up on Oahu, he spent most of his time helping his grandparents tend to their birds and animals. This early exposure to farming instilled in him a deep appreciation for the importance of fresh, locally grown food.

“I grew up in Oahu, and I basically used to raise pheasants, chickens and rabbits in my grandma’s yard in Waipahu, and I really enjoyed doing that,” Alejado says. “I also do a lot of bird hunting, so I was always taught when you take game it’s good to put back and give back instead of always taking. So, breeding pheasants and quail has always been a passion for me.”

Sidney Alejado raises free-range chickens using holistic and regenerative practices.

Today, Lanai Grown Farm is the primary supplier of local, pasture-raised eggs on the island and a testament to Alejado’s unwavering commitment to sustainability and community. He raises his chickens using holistic and regenerative practices, including rotational farming techniques that distribute natural fertilizers evenly across the land to improve soil fertility and nutrient density. He also repurposes food waste from a local hydroponic farm to feed his chickens and regularly teaches local students how to produce eggs, harvest and care for the animals.

He currently has 900 chickens that lay 300 eggs each day.

“A chicken will lay one egg a day, a normal chicken,” Alejado says. “There are guys that give them steroids or whatever kind of medicines to make them lay more eggs, which I don't believe in. We prefer to have them all natural.”

Mos Masicampo, his son Maysen and Morty, the first goat that started the farm.

Masicampo, on the other hand, has a full-time job, but that doesn't stop him from pursuing his passion for farming on the side. Masicampo started his farm three years ago after receiving a baby goat from a friend.

“That goat is what started my sheep and goat business,” says Masicampo. “He’s like my mascot. He’s the one that got me into the business because everyone in town would ask me if I was selling goat and then as the word spread, I thought maybe I should get into the sheep and goat business to supply meat for the community.”

Today, he owns 30 goats and 20 sheep, which he raises for meat.

Masicampo is the only person on the island who specializes in goat and sheep, making him an important contributor to the community's self-sustainability efforts. He typically tends to his farm at night or in the morning before work, with his 9-year-old son Maysen helping him out.

“I just like animals. I like sheep and goats. They always keep me busy,” Masicampo says. “I like supplying the community with goat and sheep, so they don’t have to import it from off-island.”

Despite their different backgrounds and farming practices, both farmers are determined to make the most of Palawai Basin's land and contribute to the island's food security. With more than 90% of the food consumed on the island being shipped in once a week, Alejado hopes to expand his farm and produce more eggs, while Masicampo dreams of expanding his herd and providing more goat and sheep meat to the island.

“Right now, I’m just supplying for the community,” Masicampo says. “What I want to do is expand and get a bit more acreage and then possibly supply the hotels, restaurants and stores.”

What sets Alejado and Masicampo apart is not just their commitment to sustainable farming practices, but their collaboration. They both use the same land, and share knowledge and resources, which helps them both succeed as farmers.

“We just take care of each other and do things the way it used to be, where it's not where we're trying to cut each other’s throat,” Alejado says. “We both want to be successful, and we work together to get to that point.”

Alejado and Masicampo are two farmers who are making a difference on Lanai. As the island continues to strive towards self-sustainability, both of their farms will undoubtedly play a vital role in achieving that goal.