The Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Farm Then & Now
Did you know that the Awapuhi used in our Awapuhi Wild Ginger products come from our own farm in Hawaii? It’s true! In 1983 our Co-founders Paul Mitchell and John Paul DeJoria established a self-sustaining, solar-powered Awapuhi farm that produces the key ingredient for our Awapuhi Wild Ginger products. While the farm has a practical purposeâ•Œgrowing and harvesting Awapuhiâ•Œit is also a special place near and dear to the Paul Mitchell family that speaks to our organization’s history and roots.
Every year, a select group of Paul Mitchell® educators and professionals are invited to Hawaii for an educational seminar and are given an intimate tour of the Awapuhi Farm grounds. One of our educators, Amanda Goodsell, was a member of the small group that toured the farm earlier this year. Here she shares her favorite photos and snapshots of her experience.
The Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Farm is a place that most of us hear about from industry peers. I am one of the lucky few who got the opportunity to visit the farm and I can report that the stories are true; the Awapuhi Farm is a magical place.
We were welcomed to the Awapuhi Farm by Paul Mitchell Co-founder and Chairman of the Board John Paul DeJoria and the on-site manager, Harry. Harry told us the story of how he met Paul Mitchell and John Paul DeJoria many years ago and closed his restaurant on the island to work for them full-timeâ•Œhe was building an electric car with Paul (way before they were cool!) and decided to devote his career to the farm.
During our tour, Harry explained to us that the ginger root used in Paul Mitchell hair care products is grown organically on the Awapuhi Farm. He showed us the intimate workings of thesolar dehydration shed, where the awapuhi ginger root is dried, processed and packaged before it is sent to John Paul Mitchell Systems in California. It was fascinating to learn the process that is used to harvest and prepare the awapuhi ginger root; first, the root is ground and placed on racks in the drying chamber where heat from the sun slowly dries it. Then it is further ground into a powder and packaged in sealed bags to be shipped to the Paul Mitchell manufacturing plant.
Beyond learning about the ways awapuhi root is grown and used for the hair care products we love so much, there were many other elements that made our trip to this off-the-grid farm magical. We enjoyed an organic lunch prepared with food grown on the farm; we were treated to authentic Hawaiian entertainment and we toured Harry’s off-grid bed and breakfast, where breakfast is made of local fruits and homemade baked goods and the rooms feature one-of-a-kind, volcanic rock showers and views of lush, tropical vegetation. Most significantly, we gathered around the peaceful place where Paul Mitchell the man and a few family members’ ashes were laid to rest.
Visiting the Awapuhi Farm was such a treatâ•Œthe history and heritage of Paul Mitchell is apparent from the moment you step food on the grounds. Amongst organic gardens, fruit trees and trails, you can enjoy the simple life and feel the heartbeat of the Paul Mitchell organization. For more information about the Awapuhi Farm visit www.awapuhifarm.com.
All photos were taken by Wil Moreno Photography