A 176-Year-Old Legacy Shattered as Historic Storm Ravages Hawaii’s Kona Coffee Heartland
March 29 - 2026
Coffee Geography Magazine
For nearly two centuries, Greenwell Farms has been a cornerstone of Hawaii’s famed Kona coffee industry, its trees rooted deep in the volcanic soil of the Big Island. But after a historic storm tore through the region on March 14, the farm’s future now lies buried under silt, scattered debris, and deep gashes in the earth.
Tom Greenwell, the owner of the 176-year-old family operation, stood amid the aftermath of what he calls the most destructive event the farm has ever endured. Heavy rain, flooding, and winds from the Kona low storm system transformed the land, carving three deep trenches through one of the farm’s South Kona locations.
“I think we’re going to lose half our crop,” Greenwell said.
The damage extends far beyond the mature coffee trees, some of which were decades old. At the farm’s nursery, approximately 24,000 young plants were wiped out—a devastating blow to both the farm’s long-term viability and the broader coffee community.
“That’s our future planting that is gone,” Greenwell said, adding that many of those trees were intended to be shared with other farmers to help sustain the region’s coffee culture. “Trees that I grow and give to farmers to grow—that is gone.”
Greenwell Farms, known for its tours and tastings off Māmalahoa Highway in Kealakekua, has been forced to halt visitor operations. Floodwaters that swept through the property also inundated Greenwell’s home, leaving it unlivable with silt caked inside and personal belongings destroyed.
The farm estimates total losses at $10 million, combining damage to crops, infrastructure, and the owner’s residence, where Greenwell estimated personal damages of roughly $1 million. In the days since the storm, crews have been focused on simply clearing debris—pipes, cans, photographs from his garage, and even a refrigerator that was washed onto the land.
“We’re just taking everything off the floor right now,” Greenwell said.
The storm’s impact, however, stretches far beyond a single farm. Early estimates from relief organizations report more than $7 million in agricultural losses across Hawaii, with over 1,000 acres of farmland affected. As assessment crews continue to survey the damage, those numbers are expected to rise.
“The damage we’re seeing across the state is significant, especially for small and family-run farms,” said Brian Miyamoto, executive director of the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau Federation.
In response, the Hawaiʻi Agricultural Foundation and the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau have launched a coordinated relief effort to help farmers, ranchers, and producers recover from the severe weather and prolonged flooding.
For Greenwell, the path forward begins with filling the trenches carved by floodwaters before farming can resume. While he remains hopeful that tours may restart as soon as next week, the longer-term recovery—rebuilding a nursery stockpile that took years to cultivate—remains uncertain.
The intensity of the March 14 storm is part of a broader trend. As global temperatures rise, warmer air holds more moisture, fueling heavier downpours and more destructive flooding. For a farm that has weathered 176 years of history, the storm served as a stark reminder that even deep-rooted legacies are increasingly vulnerable to a changing climate.
Greenwell echoed the sentiment while surveying the loss of thousands of future trees: “That’s our future … that is gone.”