Lava Land Off-Grid Life Skills Institute

We call this "life in the slow lane." There's lots to learn and work projects to do, but we also plan for community time to share food, watch movies and laugh over silly games. Because of the physical nature of farming and construction, we all need lots of time for rest, especially in the evenings after the sun sets. Students need to be good at entertaining themselves reading, writing, crafting, making music or other personal hobbies to pass the time when they are not actively working on projects, attending classes or caring for animals. See a sample of our weekly schedule.

Every day is different, and students will face challenges, pursue difficult tasks, and come away with a genuine sense of accomplishment. The skills they develop here will prepare them for exciting opportunities in the future. So what does day-to-day life really look like here?

Meals

We teach "local" food seriously, with year-round crops like spinach, carrots, green beans, bok choy, lettuce, tomato, potato and peppers there's always something fresh for lunch. There is a schedule of family meals each week that students and instructors can share together, monthly BBQ dinners, and a weekly pancake breakfast. Students are supplied with fresh daily produce and eggs, weekly baskets with bread, dairy and other perishables, a monthly basket of dry goods and other grocery items to prepare their own meals. Students will choose vegetarian or meat-eater options during the enrollment process. Students will need personal spending money if they wish to purchase food during off-campus outings.

*Please note we do our best to provide for specialty diets, like gluten-free, though students may need to take more responsibility for preparing their own meals.

Thai Peanut noodle with Chicken and bean sprouts

Cucumber sandwich on sourdough with cream cheese

Roasted Pork loin, macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, asparagus, onions and peppers

Fried duck eggs, green peppers and chive potatoes

Adventures

Each week we offer our students opportunities to visit local farmers markets, snorkel at the beach, go hiking in one of the many parks on the island, or explore the local towns. Every semester there are opportunities to visit the cities of Kailua-Kona and Hilo; as well as little towns like Na'alehu, Captain Cook and Kealakakua; and hiking trips to Volcano park and Akita Falls. Our weekly schedule is 4 days of instruction and classes and 3 days of activities and adventures. Students can pack a picnic lunch, or plan to purchase their own snacks and food.

Ho'okena is our local beach, there's an opportunity to stop in for a snorkel or some sunbathing a couple times a month.

Collecting Salt the same way as the Hawai'ian Ancestors, if the waves are calm enough there's mermaid pools for soaking.

When Kīlauea erupts we pay our respects to Pele. It is an awesome experience to witness the lava flow or hike the crater floor.

There's adventures in Hilo to rainbow falls and the many parks and gardens.

Accommodation

We have a unique collection of off-grid accommodations for our students. You'll have an opportunity to request a single or shared accommodation during the application process. There is no charge for housing for our programs, instead we offer work trade to help keep our program costs down. Students must do 10 hours a week of work for their accommodations. Work includes activities like watering gardens, feeding animals, moving rocks, dish duty, or painting.

The Lava Bus

This renovated island tour bus sleeps 2. It has comfortable twin-sized memory foam mattresses with under bed storage. A complete kitchen for cooking personal meals, dining table, and sofa. It has an outdoor shower and compost toilet. This is the ultimate “van life” experience, but with a quite a bit more space. There is also an outdoor dining table and fire pit.

More Lava Bus pics

The Fleetwood Shack

Originally from Montana, this 1979 Vintage slide-in pop-up camper was used as a hunting cabin for many years. This single accommodation features a double bed with memory foam mattress, a two-burner kitchenette with a sink and dining area. There is an outside kitchen area with shared refrigerator, dining table and a charcoal grill. 'The Shack' shares a bath house with 'The Nest' that features a hot shower and composting toilet.

More Shack Pics

The Nest

This vintage slide-in, over the cab camper has been on Hawai'i for many years. It's doubled as a surf shack, mobile carpenters office, a work trade cabin, and now single accommodation for our students. It features a double bed with memory foam mattress, kitchenette with single burner cooker. There is an outside kitchen area with shared refrigerator, dining table and a charcoal grill. The Nest shares a bath house with the Fleetwood Shack.

More Nest Pics

The Ohana- Coming Soon!

The O'hana will be ready for student accommodations in the fall of 2027. It takes time to build a custom home while giving students the opportunity to develop their skills. This property features stone masonry and construction by some of our students. It also utilizes alternative building practices like passive solar heat, rain catchment, bio digester with biogas system, and recycled bottle construction. Here's a few sneak peaks behind the scenes of this exciting project.

Cleaning and Laundry

We provide pillows, sheets, blankets and bath towels for our students with regular access to laundry facilities in the container house, affectionately dubbed "The Den." There is a washer, dryer and laundry line available, with eco hypo-allergenic detergent for student use. It's also where students hang out, check egg incubators, assist in the kitchen, play games and enjoy an old fashioned movie night with a projector on the big screen.

Students will rotate domestic cleaning responsibilities throughout the semester, helping out with dishes after family meals, cleaning their bathrooms, and maintaining common areas around campus. The work is easy, counts towards work trade hours, and it's always changing so no one gets stuck on bathroom duty for long. Students are supplied with basic cleaning supplies and materials to maintain their personal living spaces.

Wifi and Technology

Most cellphones work just fine at Lava Land, though they can struggle at times. There is limited Wifi available at The Den for security systems, administrative tasks and emergencies; students should plan to use their own data plans/hot spot during their time on campus. There is a cell booster that improves data signals for things like making video calls and streaming. It is important to understand, that because of the remote location, students should expect their time at Lava Land to be an opportunity to disconnect or reduce their time on social media and technology. Our classes will rely on books, printed materials, and good old-fashioned notebooks and pencils (provided in the student tool box).

Music

Just because we're low tech doesn't mean music isn't a welcome addition. Every construction crew knows: it's important to bring the tunes; come prepared to share your musical vibe, or suffer through 'dad rock.' Bluetooth speakers and personal instruments are welcome!

Right now we're listening to Lava La Rue in the UK.

Our environments couldn't be anymore different, and yet the connection is totally there. Check out their new music video!

https://www.youtube.com/c/LAVALAND

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