At Glenn Martinez's organic farm, even downwind of the goats or right up next to the horse pavilion, you're still able to inhale the Waimanalo breeze deeply.

"It's the worms," he said proudly, passing by the henhouse and picking up soft, chocolate-brown soil dotted with composting worms.

Martinez has dedicated Olomana Gardens, which he works with his wife, Liz Mandeville Martinez, and myriad others, to the philosophy of sustainability and integrating different ecosystems. Beginning this weekend, they're sharing that information as part of a University of Hawai'i Outreach College series on permaculture.

Of course worms play an important part of the permaculture process, taking the stinky stuff and turning it into stench-absorbing compost that helps other stuff grow. But here you also have a farm as interconnected as Legoland.

The ducks in an upper duck pond also eat the weeds around the lotus pond. The water from the upper pond feeds a taro patch downslope. The runoff goes back into the aforementioned lotus pond.

"The power of the duck," Glenn Martinez said.

Quadrupeds like horses, goats and even an old farmyard dog also play a part in the interconnected weave.

"We're a living monument to permaculture," said Glenn Martinez.

SELF-SUSTAINING GOAL

Liz Martinez, wearing a brightly colored top over leggings, took a break from digging up goo from her taro garden and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. An Australian by birth, she wants to make sure their farm isn't caught unaware if the island found itself without access to the outside world.

"Until — what, 1930? — Hawai'i was completely self-sufficient," she said. "... I feel so vulnerable to any international or national emergency that affects shipping."

Hence, the taro patch. Besides being nutritious, taro is another kind of endeavor, Liz Martinez said, especially when she picks up and replants the keiki (shoots).

"You do get a spiritual feeling about the taro being like children," she said. "They're not just vegetables."

The goal is to be completely self-sustainable, Liz Martinez said, noting that her husband is traveling to Australia soon to learn more about growing barley shoots for use instead of feed that comes from outside the farm.

HELPING HANDS

The farm enjoys a steady supply of workers who come to learn through the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms program.

Two buddies from Florida, Jacob McKessey and Jonathan Alspaugh, are among the young people trading chores for a chance to pitch a tent on site and learn the ways of organic farming.

They sat down with Glenn Martinez and talked shop for awhile, as he pointed out that the different plants around the farm keep the fly and mosquito population lower.

"It's all one big circle," said Alspaugh with just a tiny streak of youthful earnestness mixed with irony. "Happy times."

Glenn Martinez said the farm regularly uses from two to eight WWOOFers, who live on site, making use of the farm's pavilion and community kitchen.

Besides offering an extra set of hands, they often bring an influx of fresh ideas, he said, and that's partly what keeps his farm growing and evolving.

The Martinezes have checked out goat cheese operations on Maui; in Australia, Glenn Martinez also planned to learn more about aquaculture.

They've erected fish tanks to further their foray into aquaponics and aquaculture, which involves tilapia, growing vegetables and recirculating water. The explanation behind that project is a class in and of itself.

When UH Outreach College's program specialist Paulette Feeney was casting about for a good spring class offering, she went Web-hopping and came across Olomana Gardens' site.

"His name has come up numerous times since then," Feeney said.

The UH Outreach series, which takes place at the farm, will offer in-depth looks at raised-bed gardens and portable organic gardening.

Oh, and you can bet on the teacher listing the benefits of worm composting — including the sweet smell of success.

"The worms keep (the farm) clean and sanitary," said Glenn Martinez. "They pay the bills, around here."