Hello ! As you may have seen in myUpdates and Recent Happenings : Costa Rica!post , Joel and I have latterly return from the rattling Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica . Even though we were there on our honeymoon , we still could n’t hold out the itch to see as much as potential about all of the awesome tropical permaculture technique that were happening all around us .
At two spot in finical , Finca MorphoandSaladero Eco Lodge , we were able to document some of the tropical permaculture design and infrastructure they had in position . After going through my pictures I feel like I only fetch a fraction of what these places are doing , so please keep that in mind .
Finca Morphois partially manoeuvre by some of our Yosemite champion , Colton and Stephanie , and we were lucky enough to get the grand hitch ! We just happened to be staying at an eco lodge about a mile aside from them , so we train a raging and humid paseo one break of day to go claver ( we got piece up from a local soon thereafter , so we did n’t have to walk far , thankfully ) . operate a large musical scale permaculture farm complete with volunteers and intern is no jest , especially when it ’s still in the implementing stages . This is their Productivity List , which helps keep everyone on chore .
As we go our circuit , we noticed some cashews that had late been roasted . The shells contain a very toxic chemical compound that postulate them to be put over an open flame before they can be eat . Hence the high-pitched cost of cashews !
Have you ever see what a cashew nut reckon like on the tree ? It ’s the cool thing ever !
The yield is promise a cashew apple and is edible once it ’s completely ripe , although it is an acquired , sort of acerb gustatory modality . At another farm we visited , Casa Orquideas , the owners recite us that when they first bought the belongings they made cashew apple wine-coloured and roasted cashews , and that ’s passably much what they lived on for their first few seasons when they were totally broke . My form of people !
Next we moved onto the greenhouse , which is more for protection from the elements for seedling than a traditional glasshouse , since it ’s always strong here .
Inside the greenhouse is a really cool aquaponics arrangement that recycles water system from a Pisces armoured combat vehicle into vegetable bed , then back into the tank in a closed closed circuit system . Those huge plants are basil !
Then we got to see the awesome wimp mansion that Colton built ! This thing is huge and is the real deal . volaille , and their ballock for that subject , really need a lot of protection from predators in the tropics , and this hencoop does that and keep them comfortable in the physical process . They are let out into a bigger fenced area during the day to pasture .
Next we come upon the humanure toilet . What ? ! Yes , you heard me right , human - manure . A humanure toilet is an effective way of dealing with human waste products and turning them into something in reality available . This method can work anywhere , but is particularly useful in the tropics where the hot and humid temperatures will convert the waste into useable manure in a fair quick manner . All you do is cover your waste with a goop or two of Grant Wood fries or shave to keep down the olfaction , and once the barrel is full you let it sit for a period of time , longer if you ’re in a temperate region , and presently enough you have manure . fairly cool ! Plus , it ’s always decent to poop with a panorama .
The last thing we visit atFinca Morphowas their trash and recycling area . The thought of “ shabu brick ” was novel to us and we thought it was passing cool . Basically any trash that you have , which will probably be mostly plastic if you go on a farm that lose weight , reuses , recycle and composts , gets stuffed into fictile bottle until they are completely full . You want them to be packed very tightly . Once you get enough of those they can eventually be used as “ brick ” to facilitate build walls in cob or straw Basle type homes . Such a big idea !
Finca Morphohas so many nerveless things going on and growing , I really only showed you a portion of it . We were there at the very end of the dry season , so a lot of their plants were n’t in their prime , but they are really congeal up to have an awe-inspiring season this twelvemonth . I ca n’t wait to go visit them again someday to see what they ’ve accomplished !
Next I have a few nerveless things to show you fromSaladero Eco Lodge . This lodge was only approachable by boat on the northwest shoring of the Golfo Dulce . They are n’t a permaculture farm per se , but they do use a lot of permaculture technique on their beautiful prop . They use pineapple plant to make walkways to the cabins , which makes an edible flora extremely useful . It also keep masses from walking under the cocoanut Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree which can be serious !
They also have some banana circles , whichFinca Morphowere in the process of building as well . This is where you plant multiple banana Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in a circle with a compost pile in the center . It can have multiple functions including food production , biomass production , a place for greywater and compost material to go , and wildlife home ground among other thing . you could also use pawpaw or Cocos nucifera tree in this type of system .
SaladeroandFinca Morphowere also growing many really cool permaculture plants , but two I want to show you are yuca ( manioc ) root and moringa .
No , this is not a marijuana garden , although I almost thought that it was from a distance for a half a second ! This is a patch of yuca root , a staple tuber that is similar to a potato and extremely easy to grow . It is a really significant local food source , specifically for saccharide .
This next flora is called moringa , which is a highly nutritious industrial plant that some think could end hungriness . It is very eminent in protein , vitamin and minerals and also has medicative qualities . I guarantee you will be hearing more about this top-notch plant in the future .
Well , that ’s about all that I have for you for now in the macrocosm of tropical permaculture . We date so many awe-inspiring thing happening in such a trivial remote quoin of Costa Rica , it really gives me hope that the macrocosm is accepting permaculture as not only a feasible direction to plan your property , but as a mode to live well and fabulously off the grid . As Stephanie fromFinca Morphohas been know to say , Permaculture Rocks ! ! !
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