A loan helped .


Marcel's story

I grew up in Waimea on the Big Island of Hawaii on 5 acres where our family raised chickens and hogs. I loved spending time on the family farm and my favorite after-school activity was feeding and playing with the animals. I raised ducks, chickens, pigs, cats, dogs, rabbits, pet rats and mice. I enjoyed yard work and had a horse I loved to ride. At 24, I raised a cow for a year. I was the only one of 10 siblings who enjoyed taking care of animals. Once I caught a pig on my way home from school and made him my pet. I taught him how to sit, roll over, shake hands and play toro like a bullfighter.
I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian one day, however, I became a mother at a young age and ended up working as a waitress and home-keeper to provide for my family. I continued to grow vegetables to feed my family and neighbors.
I suffered an injury several years ago and have dealt with intense pain since then. Overcoming my injury and renewing my passion for animals and planting, I began raising pigs. I just love the cute, happy baby pigs. I began researching hog farming and realized the large demand there is for market size pigs in Hawaii and the business opportunity it presents. I aim to reduce Hawaii's need for shipped-in mainland pork as well as the high cost of imported feed grain by using scraps of taro, sweet potatoes, and papayas that are all grown in abundance on the island, as well as homegrown corn, beans, and other vegetables, grass, green waste, etc. to feed my pigs.


This loan is special because:

It helps a female entrepreneur fulfill construction needs for her piggery in Hawaii.



Loan details


About TM Native Farm LLC

Industry: Agriculture
Years in operation: New Business


Lenders and lending teams




Loan details