Feeding the Community. Supporting Natural Systems.

Aloha kākou! O Nick Schaffer ko'u inoa. I grew up on the Big Island of Hawai'i on my family's organic farm and nursery, Schaffer Family Farm. Working with plants was never a chore, it has always been a gift to get outside and get my hands dirty. I grew up learning about the local plants, focusing on natives and edibles. I went on to study horticulture and sustainable agriculture at University of Hawaii and Uppsala University in Sweden. My passion for all things green continued to blossom as I learned everything from organic chemistry to plant and microbe interactions.

 

After graduating with a degree in Horticulture; I joined an amazing landscaping team at Exteriorscapes in Seattle, WA working with design, installations and maintenance where I was known as "the plant guy". I served as the manager for an organic farm startup on the small island of Lana'i for billionaire Larry Ellison. I currently manage my families organic forest farm and nursery on the fertile slopes of Mauna Loa on the Big Island. After being in Hawai'i all my life I grew interested in discovering a new landscape and moved to Colorado in 2014. I feel in love with the mountains and with Sonya, the girl of my dreams. We have made a home in Basalt.

 

I spent my summers returning to the Big Island to work on my family's farm and work as an arborist for Long Limbs Tree Service honing my skills as a climber and working on small to large scale jobs across the island. Recently, I graduated with a Masters of Education in Curriculum Development so I can continue to share my love of plants and natural systems with a new generation of learners. My program focused on educating outside the classroom through connecting with the land and culture by honoring our roots. Grow Green Now LLC was born from the urgency to educate local community members and visitors about natural systems awareness, tree care, and food security for your family and fellow global citizens. I am excited to be spending the summer in the Roaring Fork Valley and contributing to the community. I am passionate about the health of our trees and helping to create local, sustainable food systems. I strive to create spaces for people to get their hands dirty while learning about where our food comes from. Let me teach you about the magic of plants because nothing tastes better than eating farm to table produce under the shade of a magnificent tree.