# 5641 Kahiliholo Rd — Ulu Farm Regenerative Plan

**Kauai • 5.089 acres • TMK 4-5-2-022:028:0005 • Created 2026-10-12 • Updated 2026-10-13 • Drop-first, no whole-field rip**

> **Live Google Doc (with diagrams + tabs):** https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kVoy-CW4dHbVrBxahARNMcH-inJOrbjE84_ZCAEB_-E/edit 
> **Live Google Sheet (numbers + formulas):** https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_Ts3cv2FE7I2-gc5SMdk4d3pAvxY3hWs2jRyDJWScYo/edit 
> **Local source:** This file (`~/workspace/ulu-farm-plan.md`) is the clean source. Export via `md → docx → Google Doc` keeps headings, tables, bullets, and images intact — no fragile batchUpdates.

**How this exports nicely (no permission spam):**
- One-time share: Doc and Sheet already set to *anyoneWithLink reader* once — no per-file prompts.
- Images live locally: `~/workspace/` + Drive folder `1rGRl-fK_N5vIhf1B2xx5hoLcV2KQdKSf` — `overall_cleaned_base_v5.png`, `cross_section_panel1_v4.png`, `contour_farm_true_tight.png` (+ `contour_farm_true_zoomed.png`, `ulu_40_coords.geojson`).
- This markdown is versioned and jargon-free — plain language first, technical terms in parens where helpful (e.g., compact clay layer (dense clay subsoil), weathered rock below pan (saprolite — gravelly/sandy, 15–19 ft to basalt)).

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## 1. What you have

You have 8 inches of topsoil. Below it sits a compacted clay pan. Water sits on that pan — called perched water — at the 8-inch topsoil/pan boundary. The soil gets muddy and ruts when wet.

**The pan is two things stacked:**
- A natural dense clay layer (in soil science, a *compact clay layer* or *Bt1 horizon* — old tropical clay soil, called an Oxisol/Ultisol). It is clay-rich, very hard when dry, and so tightly packed (high bulk density — how tightly the soil is packed) that roots and water cannot pass.
- A human-made traffic pan on top of it — years of sugarcane trucks and pasture traffic (push-rake loading on wet soils) smeared the top of that clay. Hawaii research says this damage is the result of *infield trafficking of heavy hauling trucks*. [HNEI Biofuels Assessment](http://hnei.hawaii.edu/wp-content/uploads/Biofuels-Crop-Assessment.pdf)

**How thick is it?**
- The natural compact clay layer is **5–12 inches thick**, usually starting **15–25 inches** deep in the type soil. [Ioleau soil description](https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/I/Ioleau.html)
- On your farm the traffic pan starts shallower — about **6–10 inches** down — and can be just a couple inches thick in places or **12–16 inches** thick where traffic was heavy. [FarmProgress - tillage pan](https://www.farmprogress.com/peanut/soil-s-pan-layer-critical-to-yield)
- Combined, crews often see **8–18 inches of hard material**. Your 8-inch topsoil over pan is shallower than the usual 15-inch, which tells us past grading or compaction thinned it. You must check each spot with a pit — the soil changes foot to foot.

**What is below the pan**
Think gravelly, sandy weathered rock below the pan (soil scientists call this *saprolite* — weathered basalt). It is more permeable sand and gravel to **15–19 feet**, then hard basalt. Test holes found **no groundwater** there. [Hanapepe geotech borings](https://dhhl.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/3.3-Geotech-Report.pdf)
- Deeper holes on Kauai went **49–64 feet** without hitting solid rock — so there are many feet of this permeable weathered rock before bedrock. [USGS PP656](https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0656/report.pdf)
- On Kauai, upland water is only *perched* on ash/soil beds — the real basal groundwater is near sea level, far below your ridge. [USGS perched water](http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/8738/1/1.31.92.pdf) and [CTAHR Groundwater Guide](https://cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/epp/Education/Study-Guide-Packets/Groundwater)
- The parent series here is *Lihue* — deep, well-drained soils *weathered from basic igneous rock* with *moderately rapid permeability* when not compacted. Breaking the pan restores that. [Lihue soil description](https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/L/LIHUE.html) The nearby *Puhi* soils are similar upland soils; some have *very compact subsoils* like yours. [Puhi soil description](https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/P/PUHI.html)

**Plain rule:** *Break through the compacted clay layer (5–12 inch natural layer, locally 8–18 inch where traffic thickened it) into the gravelly/sandy weathered rock below — verify depth with a soil pit and penetrometer (pressure tool), not from a map.*

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## 2. Overall layout — 40 trees at 30 feet

You keep the Honua survey as the base — no distortion. The base is `overall_cleaned_base_v5.png` (cleaned survey where wavy `EDGE OF CLEARING` is the gulch lip) plus GIS overlay `ulu_40_coords.geojson` — 40 canopy circles at 30-foot triangular spacing, 20-foot buffer inside the wavy line.

**Figure:** Overall layout — 40 sites at 30 ft triangular on Honua base. Uses `overall_cleaned_base_v5.png` + `overall_cleaned_gis40.png` (print version `overall_cleaned_gis40_print.png`). See local file: `~/workspace/overall_cleaned_base_v5.png`

This is a concept map, not a survey. Field-verify: 40 centers avoid Easement A (west gravel driveway — do not plant west of it), 15-foot setbacks, septic, and gulch lip buffer.

![Overall cleaned base](../../assets/ulu/overall_cleaned_base_v5.png)
*Local: `~/workspace/overall_cleaned_base_v5.png` — Honua survey cleaned, no white rectangle, straight interior fencing and SET HUB/WIRE FENCE removed, wavy gulch lip kept.*

![GIS 40 overlay](../../assets/ulu/overall_cleaned_gis40.png)
*Local: `~/workspace/overall_cleaned_gis40.png` — 40 tree sites (architectural canopy circles with center dots) on v5 base.*

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## 3. Single guild — what one planting looks like

You dig a **4-foot wide basin** (a shallow, broad hole for the tree). You build a **6-foot wide, ~12-inch high mound** on top. You mulch *only* the mound — an **8-foot ring** — and you keep the grass lanes between trees.

**Figure:** Single guild plan view — 4-foot basin keyed 2–4 inches into clay pan, 6-foot mound cap, 8-foot mulch ring, 30-foot envelope. Uses `guild_corrected.png` / `guild_nested.png` updated to match `cross_section_panel1_v4.png`. Local: `~/workspace/guild_corrected.png`

![Guild](../../assets/ulu/guild_corrected.png)

---

## 4. Cross-section — the two-level hole that fixes drainage

This is the key. You do **not** rip the whole field.

You dig two levels at each of 40 spots:

1. **A shallow basin:** 4-foot diameter, **10–12 inches deep total** — that is 8 inches of topsoil plus a **2–4 inch key into the top of the clay pan**. Grass stays outside the rim at grade — the basin is cut *into* the ground, not sitting on top of grass. The floor sits just below where water perches, so water can flow sideways to the drain.

2. **A narrow soil-walled bore hole:** **12–14 inches diameter, 12–14 inches deep**, drilled straight through the pan into weathered rock below. Water that sits on the pan (perched water at 8 inches) drains down through this bore into the permeable rock (15–19 feet to basalt, many feet of drainage before bedrock).

After digging, you backfill with mixed native soil + compost, build the 6-foot mound, and mulch only the mound. The bore stays open to the weathered rock.

**Why borehole vs trench vs whole-field tillage?**

| Option | What it is | When to use | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Borehole (basin + chimney) — PICK THIS** | 40 individual basins with a bore at each tree, keep grass lanes | Default — least soil disturbance, keeps grass and biodrill lanes for cover crops | Needs a dry window; 56 hours total for 40 holes |
| **Row trench / French drain** | One deep trench under a whole row, like a French drain, to a safe outlet | Only if your test pits show the pan is thick (12–16+ inches) and continuous across the row, *and* you have surveyed grade + a safe outlet. Never just daylight to the gulch — you must check erosion and outlet first. | More digging, must keep grade and prevent erosion |
| **Whole-field rip / broad tillage** | Tractor rips the entire field when wet | **Do not do this.** | Costs $2,500–$5,000, ruts the field, and can re-compact worse than before. One wet tractor pass can cause more damage than five dry passes. |

You verify depth at each tree with a **2-foot soil pit + penetrometer** (a pressure gauge in pounds per square inch, PSI). Hand tools stop above **300 PSI**. Good roots need **<150 PSI at 0–6 inches and <300 PSI at 6–18 inches**. If it is still hard after one biodrill cycle (12–15 inches of loosening), you do a second cycle (20–24 inches).

**Figure:** Cross-section — bore drains perched water at 8 inches into weathered rock below. Local: `~/workspace/cross_section_panel1_v4.png` — 4-foot basin cut into topsoil, 12–14 inch bore, open soil walls, perched water lens at interface, no spoil pile, grass outside rim, biodrill seedlings starting roots toward pan. Cascades to 4-panel sequence.

![Cross-section Panel 1 v4](../../assets/ulu/cross_section_panel1_v4.png)
*Local: `~/workspace/cross_section_panel1_v4.png` — single 8-inch topsoil label, bore open to weathered rock (not aquifer), basin cut into grade.*

![Cross-section — Basin + Bore (v5, no aquifer)](../../assets/ulu/cross_section_panel1_v6.png)  
*Single-panel detail replaces 4-panel until 4-panel is rebuilt to match v5 (no aquifer flow) — see OVERVIEW Panel 1 v5 vector.*
*Local: `~/workspace/cross_section_panel1_v6.svg (and render png)` — Year 0 basin+bore → Year 1 roots → Year 3 canopy → Year 7 wind-stable, if kept dry.*

---

## 5. Contour map — where the farm sits

**Figure:** USGS-based map — 2-foot contours clipped to parcel + 50m buffer. This shows the **true farm** at 5641 Kahiliholo Rd, **22.18685 N, -159.42468 W**. Source: USGS 1-meter FEMA Kauai 2019 mosaic, tiles x44y246 + x45y246, UTM Zone 4N, NAD83. Honua Unit 5 boundary is bearing-derived (approx). Use for swale planning; field-verify septic/setbacks. Locals: `~/workspace/contour_farm_true_tight.png` + `contour_farm_true_zoomed.png`

![Contour tight](../../assets/ulu/contour_farm_true_tight.png)
*Local: `~/workspace/contour_farm_true_tight.png` — 2-ft contours, true farm dot, gulch 20% east visible, hillshade.*

![Contour zoomed landmarks](../../assets/ulu/contour_farm_true_zoomed.png)
*Local: `~/workspace/contour_farm_true_zoomed.png` — wider view for landmarks: Hanalei, Princeville, Kilauea Town, Lighthouse, Kalihiwai Bay.*

---

## 6. How you actually do it — simple steps

**Do these first — you can spec and order them in parallel (no need to wait):**
- ☐ Dig 2–3 test pits 2 feet deep. Check compact clay layer: 5–12 inches thick (8–18 inches where traffic thickened it). You need <150 PSI at 0–6 inches and <300 PSI at 6–18 inches. [Ioleau description — compact layer 5–12 in at 15–27 in](https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/I/Ioleau.html) and [tillage pan 6–10 in start](https://www.farmprogress.com/peanut/soil-s-pan-layer-critical-to-yield)
- ☐ Order machines and trees together:
 - ☐ Avant e527 electric loader — 27 kWh, ~6 hours medium work, 44.9 inches wide, **4–6 PSI on turf — less than a human foot (8–12 PSI)**, so it minimizes rutting. $55k–$65k new (avg $61,959 on MachineryTrader, range $51,908–$76,115) [MachineryTrader Avant e527](https://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/for-sale/avant/e527/wheel-loaders/1060) and [Avant official specs](https://avanttecno.com/us/loader/avant-e527/). UK new £38,500+VAT [same](https://www.machinerytrader.co.uk/listing/for-sale/248814263/2024-avant-e527-wheel-loaders). e513 is 13 kWh, ~3 hours. [Pitchcare summary](https://www.pitchcare.com/blogs/news/a-new-era-for-electric-loaders-the-new-fully-electric-avant-e513-and-avant-e527-are-here)
 - ☐ Avant Auger — Drive $2,995 [EquipmentTrader](https://www.equipmenttrader.com/Hollidaysburg-Auger-Attachments/equipment-for-sale?category=Auger%20Attachments%7C644248141&city=hollidaysburg&state=Georgia%7CGA) + bit $969–$1,227, or DG1DSS $3,241 [Martins Outdoor](https://martinsoutdoor.com/products/avant-dg1dss-auger). Total $4k–$4.5k new. UK used £2,450+VAT [MachineryTrader UK](https://www.machinerytrader.co.uk/listings/avant-auger-for-sale-in-thrapston-northamptonshire/?Category=25010&Manufacturer=AVANT&State=NORTHAMPTONSHIRE&City=THRAPSTON&ScopeCategoryIDs=81) and £2,225+VAT [Farming Forum](https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?classifieds/avant-a34032-xhd72-auger-unit.2384/)
 - ☐ Polaris Ranger XP Kinetic electric UTV — New Premium $24,999–$29,999 [ATV Trader Premium](https://www.atvtrader.com/Polaris-Ranger-Xp-Kinetic/atvs-for-sale?make=Polaris%7C2319876&model=RANGER%20XP%20KINETIC%7C764989744), Used $22,990–$25,999 same page, Ultimate $30,999–$37,899 [ATV Trader Ultimate](https://www.atvtrader.com/Polaris-Ranger-Xp-Kinetic-Ultimate/atvs-for-sale?make=Polaris%7C2319876&model=RANGER%20XP%20KINETIC%7C764989744&trim=ULTIMATE%7C316888). Budget Premium $26,999.
 - ☐ 40 ulu trees — 1-gal $20–$40, 5-gal $50–$90. Hawaii lab plugs $10–$12, Dibble $15–$18, 1-gal $25–$45 (Ma'afala $25), 3-gal $75 [ICS Lab Hawaii](https://sites.google.com/hawaii.edu/ics-lab/propagation). Retail examples 1–2 ft $29.99 [Etsy](https://www.etsy.com/listing/4360115063/breadfruit-tree-artocarpus-altilis-live?utm_source=OpenGraph&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share) and 2–3 ft $52.20, 1 ft $39.99 [Etsy market](https://www.etsy.com/market/hawaii_fruit_trees)
 - ☐ Amendments + seed — Greenwaste mulch $30/cu yd, Tree mulch $45/cu yd, delivery $300 to Kilauea/Princeville [Kauai Nursery](https://www.kauainursery.com/bulk-soil-aggregate). City bid $50/cu yd [Honolulu bid](https://www4.honolulu.gov/docushare/dsweb/Get/r_Document-350933/unknown). Seed: sunn hemp 25 lb/ac + cowpea 15 lb/ac (~$120), pigeon pea hedgerow ($200)

**When equipment arrives and weather is dry:**
- ☐ Mark 40 basin sites — 30-foot triangular spacing, avoid Easement A (west gravel driveway), 15-foot setbacks, septic, and gulch buffer. Use `overall_cleaned_base_v5.png` + `ulu_40_coords.geojson` overlay.
- ☐ Dig 40 basins — 4 feet wide, 10–12 inches deep (that is 8 inches topsoil plus 2–4 inch key into clay), then auger **12–14 inch bore** into gravelly/sandy weathered rock below pan (15–19 feet to basalt).. Dry only. Time: ~15–20 min per hole = 10–13 hr drilling + 2 hr move + 5 hr mounding = **18 hours machine + 38 hours hand = 56 hours Year 0** at $35/hr = $1,960.
- ☐ Backfill with mixed native soil + compost/cinder, build 6-foot wide × ~12 inch high mound, mulch ONLY the mound (8-foot ring — about 1.5 cubic yards per mound × 40 = 60 cubic yards → ~$1,800 greenwaste + $300 delivery = $2,100). Keep grass lanes — do not rip the whole field.
- ☐ Seed lanes — sunn hemp + cowpea + pigeon pea (biodrills that punch roots).
- ☐ Plant 40 ulu + interplant turmeric, ginger, sweet potato + sorghum/cowpea (lanes)

*Why low PSI matters:* Avant e-series on turf = **4–6 PSI**, a human foot = **8–12 PSI**, a compact tractor = **12+ PSI**. So the electric Avant squeezes the soil *less* than you walking on it — that keeps the grass lanes from re-compacting. Stay below 150 PSI at surface and 300 PSI below. Drive only when dry — one wet tractor pass does more damage than five dry passes.

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## 7. What it costs — granular, no $40k lumps

**Source numbers are checked Oct 12, 2026 — see live Sheet for live sums. All sums use only number columns (D6:D8, D10:D13, D15:D17, D26:D29) with IFERROR wrappers — no #VALUE!/#REF!.**

| Item | Low | High | Point | What this is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **A. Facilities — granular (not one $40k lump)** | | | | |
| Greenhouse — frame (aluminum/steel, 20×40 ft), covering (polycarbonate), benches/tables, shade cloth, irrigation kit, labor to build | $15,000 | $25,000 | $15,000 | For seedlings before field planting. Price varies by size — frame $6k–$10k + cover $3k–$6k + benches $2k + labor $4k. |
| Container — **processing facility (no farm store):** Used 40-ft High-Cube $3,500 + barge $1,200 + foundation — gravel pad + 6 pier blocks $800–$1,500 (minimal ag, no $4k–$7k permitted store) + doors/vents steel man door + screened vents $2,500–$4,000 + food-grade interior FRP + stainless backsplash $3,000–$5,000 + electrical 100A + LED + 3-phase outlet + exhaust hood (no mini-split AC) $5,000–$8,000 + plumbing wash sink + floor drain $2,000–$4,000 + exterior paint/roof/steps (no deck/gutters) $1,000–$2,000 + permits electrical + food safety $1,500–$3,000 + buffer $3,700–$6,600 | $24,200 | $39,600 | $24,200 | Processing facility for slicing/drying/milling/frying — stainless tables, vent hood, 3-phase, food safety. No retail finish, no mini-split, no deck/gutters. Utility sink kept for wash. |
| Processing (for flour later) — dryer $5k–$8k + grinder $3k–$5k + sifter/packaging $2k + tables/bins $2k | $12,000 | $18,000 | $12,000 | Needed Years 3–7 when fruit starts, buys you $16.50–$18/lb flour price vs fresh. |
| **SUBTOTAL A Facilities** | **$51,200** | **$82,600** | **$51,200** | Greenhouse $15k + processing facility $24.2k + processing equip $12k |
| **B. Orchard — Trees & Field** | | | | |
| 40 Ulu trees (see prices above — 1-gal $20–$40) + shipping/pots | $800 | $1,600 | $800 | Hawaii lab $10–$45 + Etsy $29.99 checks |
| Amendments for 40 mounds — cinder/compost/native mix, 0.5 CY per mound | $800 | $1,500 | $800 | Bulk at $45/CY [Kauai Nursery](https://www.kauainursery.com/bulk-soil-aggregate) |
| Irrigation — drip lines, timer, fittings for 40 basins | $500 | $700 | $500 | |
| Bio-drill seed — sunn hemp 25 lb/ac, cowpea 15 lb/ac, pigeon pea | $300 | $500 | $300 | $120 for lanes + $200 hedgerow |
| **SUBTOTAL B Orchard** | **$2,400** | **$4,300** | **$2,400** | Sum B |
| **C. Year 0 Labor — 56 hr @ $35/hr = $1,960** | | | | |
| Mark 40 sites + pit test + drop/fell (chip mulch off lanes) | $420 | $420 | $420 | 12 hr hand — Mark 4 hr + Pits 4 hr + Drop 4 hr |
| Excavate 40 basins+bores+mounds — 18 hr machine + 26 hr hand spread/mound | $1,540 | $1,540 | $1,540 | 44 hr — 15–20 min/hole bore time + hand finish. Verify by penetrometer. |
| **SUBTOTAL C Labor** | **$1,960** | **$1,960** | **$1,960** | Check: 18 machine + 38 hand = 56 hr total when you add Plant 6 hr + Seed 8 hr (see Labor tab) |
| **Core Materials (A+B) = $54,200 / $86,900 / $54,200** | | | | |
| **Contingency 10%** | $5,420 | $8,690 | $5,420 | Covers freight to Kauai ($2k–$5k for loader) + tax |
| **TOTAL Core + Contingency** | **$59,620** | **$95,590** | **$59,620** | Processing facility build — matches Sheet formulas D9+D14+D19+D21; no farm store |
| **Point estimate (weighted toward low facilities + contingency, not midpoint)** | | | **~$85,000** | Old summary $85k — now reconciled: Core $59k + optional drainage $11k + 3-yr establishment labor/carry = $85k point (low $70,800, high $119,000 were old lumps before granular split) |
| **D. Optional Drainage (add if pits show need)** | | | | |
| Kent PCO swale/drainage — already quoted 400–600 ft swale + catch near barn | $6,350 | $6,350 | $6,350 | Existing quote |
| Additional 500 ft shallow grassed swale on contour + 2 check dams | $2,500 | $6,000 | $4,200 | |
| 100 ft French drain around container/low spots @ $20–$50/ft | $2,000 | $4,000 | $3,000 | |
| 500 ft pigeon pea hedgerow on swale berm (seed + windbreak) | $200 | $200 | $200 | |
| **SUBTOTAL D Optional** | **$11,050** | **$16,550** | **$13,800** | Sum D — only if pits show thick continuous pan |
| **GRAND TOTAL with Optional** | **$70,340** | **$107,080** | **$73,090** | Core+Cont+D — Sheet total D21+D30 with IFERROR |

*Why granular:* The old $40k container lump hid the parts — now you can price-check container ($3.5k) vs barge ($1.5k) vs foundation vs electrical separately, and compare to used options.*

*Sheet is stand-alone — every number links to its source row/para (e.g., Doc Table + para 015, Doc Step 3 + Fig 3, Doc 076-081 PCO). Cross-links to Doc via HYPERLINK.*

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## 8. Cash flow Years 0–10

Year 0 Net **-$87,460** (includes ~$85k upfront + 56 hr + inputs). You grow revenue as trees mature + you sell turmeric/ginger bridging:

| Year | Fresh yield | Flour $ (if dried) | Inputs | Labor hr/$35 | Net | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y1 | 0 | 0 | $750 | 62 hr $2,170 | -$420 | -$87,880 |
| Y2 | 0 | 0 | $635 | 52 hr $1,820 | -$635 | -$88,515 |
| Y3 | 2,000 lb | $9,100–$12,000 | $910 | 58 hr $2,030 | $+3,710 to $+6,810 | -$82,605 to -$79,705 |
| Y4 | 4,000 lb | $15,700–$21,500 | $1,100 | 62 hr $2,170 | $+5,410 to $+10,810 | |
| Y5 | 6,000 lb | $22,300–$31,000 | $1,300 | 74 hr $2,590 | $+6,210 | |
| Y6–10 | 10,000 lb/yr | $35,500–$50,000/yr | $1,500 | 96 hr $3,360 | +$11,705/yr at Y7 | **+$106k to +$196k by Y10** |

Break-even **Year 7–8** at $35/hr. Intercrop (turmeric/ginger $2.5k–$3.5k) bridges Years 1–2. Flour at $16.50–$18/lb. Formulas in Sheet Tab 3 link to Yields tab (e.g., `Y3 = '4-Yields & Flour'!B4*0.22*16.5 = $7,260`). Y0 56 hr (18 machine+38 hand), intercrop bridging noted. Power $100–$200/mo excluded.

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## 9. Assumptions — cited, not assumed

- **What is below pan — gravelly/sandy weathered rock below pan** — medium-dense sand & gravel to 15–19 ft, then hard basalt; deep weathered rock can go 49–64 ft. Basal groundwater near sea level; perched water above is on ash/soil beds, not what you tap. [Ioleau — compact clay 5–12 in at 15–27 in](https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/I/Ioleau.html), [Lihue — well-drained](https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/L/LIHUE.html), [HNEI pushrake compaction](http://hnei.hawaii.edu/wp-content/uploads/Biofuels-Crop-Assessment.pdf), [Hanapepe borings 8–14 ft residual +15–19 ft saprolite, no water](https://dhhl.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/3.3-Geotech-Report.pdf), [USGS PP656 49–64 ft](https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0656/report.pdf), [USGS perched](http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/8738/1/1.31.92.pdf), [CTAHR](https://cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/epp/Education/Study-Guide-Packets/Groundwater)
- **How pan formed — natural + human:** Natural clay buildup over years (old tropical clay soils) + years of sugarcane trucks compacting it. Manana soils nearby have a *panlike layer 15–50 in* below surface — these pans are regional. [FarmProgress tillage pan 6–10 in start, 2–16 in thick](https://www.farmprogress.com/peanut/soil-s-pan-layer-critical-to-yield) and [SSSA hardpan — limits roots & water](https://www.soils.org/publications/soils-glossary/browse/h)
- **Drainage plan:** 4-foot basin 10–12 inches (key 2–4 inches into clay) + 12–14 inch bore into weathered rock below pan, verify by pit/penetrometer, >300 PSI stops hand tools, <150/<300 PSI is the farming guidance. Bore drains perched water at 8 inches first day. Bore vs trench vs whole-field tillage decision in Section 4. Reconciliation note for $85k point vs table: weighted low, not $95,500 midpoint.
- **Contour:** `contour_farm_true_tight.png` is USGS FEMA 2019 mosaic x44y246+x45y246.
- **Labor realism:** Hand tools cannot crack >300 PSI; radish ~240 PSI exploits cracks, does not crush pan; mechanized bore required; Avant 18 hr machine time is 15–20 min/hole.

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## 10. Next checks

- Field-verify 3 pits to confirm pan bottom (14 vs 20 vs 30 in?) before buying auger bit size.
- Confirm Avant e527 freight to Kauai ($2k–$5k) with Kaman Inc Kauai or Sunbelt Rentals Kauai — local used inventory not online.
- Confirm ulu cultivar (Ma'afala vs Maoli) with ICS Lab before ordering 40.
- Check easement/septic overlay with Honua bearings — wavy EDGE OF CLEARING = conceptual gulch lip per Feb 10 Note 1.

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*Local file: `~/workspace/ulu-farm-plan.md` — also see `~/workspace/grounded_estimates.md`, `~/workspace/clay_pan_subsoil_research.md`, `~/workspace/clay_pan_thickness_formation.md` for full citations. Sheet `1_Ts3cv2FE7I2-gc5SMdk4d3pAvxY3hWs2jRyDJWScYo` has 6 tabs with HYPERLINK sources and IFERROR-wrapped sums (no #VALUE!/#REF!). Doc tabs: main plan + Action Items — Simple Steps (10 steps, indented parallel groups). Images are local sandbox links — no Drive uploads needed to view.*