The owner of the farm gave my friend and me a tour through the course of the sunny morning and proudly showed us where they had regenerated depleted areas through a technique called analog forestry. This approach uses a scientific formula by which species, size, time, coverage, wildlife, soil, and other factors are carefully considered to generate optimum conditions in the land over time. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it does produce fruit and immense gratitude fairly quickly. Food production models were also woven into the fabric of the land: beans, spices, fruit trees, rice paddies, a tilapia pond, flower gardens, and a greenhouse were carefully and integrally placed throughout strategic sections of the property. There are also classrooms, modest lodging, meditation gardens, and a spiritual temple to help promote the sharing of the owner’s knowledge and well-being.
We left the property with some plant cuttings to be propagated in our own gardens, a few edible treats to enjoy later that day, and a sense of inspiration about what sharing, sustainable living, and independence mean in our local community. Throughout Costa Rica, these small-scale farms and learning centers exist. Costa Rican natives and their adopted children share a sense of respect for nature, communal health, and a desire to share their knowledge. It’s almost requisite that when one visits a friend’s farm or even a modest garden, they walk away with a bag of food or some new cuttings and plants to perpetuate this idea of health and abundance. It is a part of this culture that I have really learned to love and deeply respect, one of those rare and beautiful occasions where the giver somehow receives more when they impart their gift to others. We invite you to become a part of this way of life, at whatever scale fits your needs or your lifestyle. But, come to learn, come to share, come to give, live a healthy life, and achieve your own independence.