Meet Mama Donna
"Living in harmony with Nature, we help make our world a better place now and for future generations."
Aloha, I'm Mama Donna
For more than 40 years, I've dedicated my life to one core belief: ethical business — led by morally courageous people — can rapidly transform our world for the better. I've built that belief into everything I do, from the companies I've helped grow to the books I've written and the people I've had the honor to mentor.
My path wasn't linear. It was rooted in Nature, shaped by challenge, and defined by an unshakeable conviction that how we earn our living matters — for our souls, for our communities, and for the planet we share. I call myself a SOULutionist because the solutions I believe in run deeper than strategy. They start with soul.
37 Years in the Craft of Holistic Food
Long before I was a coach, my hands were deep in the craft of holistic food. Alongside my husband Kevin, I successfully ran the Fresh Sourdough Express, a natural foods bakery and café in stunning Homer, Alaska, serving local and organic food. Fermentation and sourdough run deep in my veins. We baked tons of sourdough bread and made thousands of pounds of sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables — consciously connecting food, community, and planetary health.
From the Midnight Sun to the Big Island
Living in the majestic land of the Midnight Sun, surrounded by the beauty and grandeur of the landscape, penetrated my soul with a deep love of Nature. Today, my wonderful husband (since 1988) and our four rescue dogs live with me on the Big Island of Hawaii, on our 3-acre farmstead — Always In Season Farmstead Retreat — nestled in a lovely rural community with expansive views of a tropical paradise.
It is a writer's dream come true to love staying home and writing, romping around with the dogs and my hubby. Inspired by the beauty, I do my best to bring joy through my words and offer gentle ways to navigate these troubling times.
"Words for Through" — worth reading.
15 Years of Coaching, A Lifetime of Mentorship
For fifteen years, I had the humble privilege of serving as an open-hearted coach, walking alongside others in their journeys of wellness and purpose. Today, my activism flows through my pen — and I find such joy in it. Inspired by the systems and cycles of Nature, my words come through me, and I love to share what I find with others.
"The closer we get to Nature, the closer we get to our true Nature."
Why Retire When I Can Inspire
Living on the beautiful Big Island of Hawaii suits my body and soul, and I am grateful for the freedom to express my views — views that have helped many people undergo meaningful transformations.
Success, I have found, comes when you know who you are, what you love to do, and have a purposeful why. All proceeds from my work and books go to humanitarian and ecological causes. I work to make a difference, not to make a living.
Whether you find me through my books, my YouTube channel, a retreat at the farmstead, or a conversation that changes the direction of your life — welcome. You're exactly where you're meant to be.
Big love and Aloha,
Donna
The Nine Soil to Soul Principles
Nine guiding values for regenerative living, ethical business, and personal well-being — the foundation for a life that shifts focus from mere mankind to life-kind, helping each of us live like the future matters.
Be Part of the Soulution
Prioritize restoring the Earth and caring for yourself and others. Be a mindful, active citizen who supports regenerative endeavors and gives more than takes.
Get the Free BlueprintHealth is your Greatest Wealth
A healthy body fosters a healthy mind — the groundwork for a vibrant world. Nourish everything from the soil to your soul through respect, replenishment, and rejuvenation.
Get the Free BlueprintLive in Harmony with Nature
Honor the systems and cycles of the Earth as our home. Nature-based Soulutions often hold the keys to humanity's greatest challenges.
Get the Free BlueprintKnow Your Truth
Understand who you are and what you love to do with a purposeful why. Manifest your dreams, embody your highest potential, and practice self-acceptance.
Get the Free BlueprintMentors are Essential
Seek mentors and mentor others at any age. Intergenerational support is priceless — wisdom grows when applied knowledge is shared mindfully.
Get the Free BlueprintThe Past — History is No Mystery
Reference the past to improve the future. Connect with your roots, compost what no longer serves you, and nurture what does through forgiveness.
Get the Free BlueprintThe Present — A Gift, Receive It Now
Invest your time and energy into a purposeful passion. Time is our most valuable currency — spend it wisely with gratitude and compassion.
Get the Free BlueprintThe Future — Live Like the Future Matters
Create an evolving paradigm that improves the quality of life for all. Shift focus toward the welfare of all life and remain resilient to adapt to the unknown.
Get the Free BlueprintConnection Is Sacred
Support vibrant local economies and cultivate unity and reverence for all life within your community. We all depend on a sacred, vulnerable web of life that connects us all.
Get the Free BlueprintWhat is a SOULutionist?
A SOULutionist is someone who seeks to resolve challenges without doing so at another's expense. It is a person who pauses to ask: "Does this truly heal, and does it serve the long-term well-being of all?"
We live in a world drowning in solutions that aren't solutions at all. A nation goes to war to end a conflict — and plants the seeds of the next one. A factory farm floods its animals with antibiotics — and creates antibiotic-resistant bacteria that threaten us all. A chemical company develops a pesticide to protect a crop — and quietly destroys the soil microbiome our grandchildren will need to grow their food. These aren't solutions. They are postponements; band-aids disguised under the mask of efficiency.
As we walk this path together, we can begin to ask deeper questions:
- ·Who benefits from this choice, and who might pay the hidden price?
- ·Will this still feel like a wise path in ten years — or in a generation?
- ·Am I solving the root of the problem, or simply passing it on?
- ·Does this choice honor the living systems — the soil, the body, the community — that sustain us?
These are challenging questions, and I don't always have the right answers. But I have committed for decades to simply asking them. This practice slows us down enough to make wiser choices and connects us to the ripple effects of our actions. Over time, it helps us become more conscious, courageous, and joyful.
"What we appreciate, appreciates." — Donna Maltz
Three Pillars of a SOULutionist Life
Ethical Business
How we earn our living matters — for our souls, our communities, and the planet. Business, when led with moral courage, is the most powerful force for positive change.
"Ethical businesses, led by morally courageous people, can rapidly transform our world for the better."
Nature-First Living
Nature is not a backdrop to our lives — it is the source of them. The closer we align our work and rhythms with the natural world, the more vibrant our lives become.
"The closer we get to Nature, the closer we get to our True Nature."
Positivity as a Practice
Positivity is not toxic optimism — it is a daily discipline of appreciation, intention, and love. It is the highest-return investment any leader can make.
"What we appreciate, appreciates."
Free Soil to Soul Regenerative Blueprint
Download the Soil to Soul Regenerative Blueprint — a beautiful daily reminder of the values that guide a life lived in harmony with Nature. Hang it in your kitchen, your office, or anywhere you need a little soul.
One email, instant download. Unsubscribe anytime.
The Books
Each book humbly shines a light on my commitment to social and environmental justice — focusing on food justice and ethical entrepreneurship as catalysts for change.
Living Like the Future Matters
The Evolution of A Soil to Soul Entrepreneur — a soulful manifesto for ethical business and conscious living.
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Conscious Cures
Soulutions to 21st Century Pandemics — nature-based healing for the interconnected crises of our time.
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I AM Living Like the Future Matters
A Guided Journal for Cultivating Abundance — turn the principles into a daily practice.
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Get Cultured
Vegetable Fermentation Made Easy — a beginner-friendly path into the ancient art of fermented foods.
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Amazing Recipes for Kids and Adults
Family-friendly, Earth-honoring recipes that nourish bodies and build lifelong healthy habits.
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Get Cultured — 2nd Edition
The Soil to Soul Alchemy Approach to Vegetable Fermentation — a deeper, expanded edition.
Coming Soon
How to Make Sourdough Starter
With Easy Recipes — 37 years of bakery wisdom distilled into a practical paperback.
Coming SoonA Mission Rooted in Nature
For over four decades, I have been a devoted student of the Earth, guided by the quiet belief that when we lead with compassion and moral courage, our work becomes a sacred force for healing. My mission is to help us all remember our place within the family of all sentient beings.
Through the lens of my camera and the rhythm of my keyboard, I invite you to join me in an inspiring dance of advocacy. Together, we can align our daily lives with the values of justice and kindness — prospering not at the expense of the Earth, but in beautiful harmony with her.
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Free 30-Minute Complementary Consultation
If something I've shared resonates, let's talk. Book a complimentary 30-minute conversation about your wellness, your purpose, or the soulful business you're being called to build.