For the Love of Chocolate

Leaving Dominical was an adventure!  My new friend, who I recruited from the hostel, and I left bright and early to catch the first of four buses that would eventually take us to the middle of nowhere, rural Costa Rica.  The first two buses were pretty much a breeze, but as we got off the second bus and retrieved our very dusty bags from underneath the bus, we noticed rain clouds.  As the bus drove away I'm pretty sure my traveling companion was starting to question his decision to blindly follow me away from the coast and the hot sandy beaches.  We were at an intersection of two dirt roads, overlooking a spectacular landscape, but it was starting to rain, it was getting cool, and there was nothing, absolutely nothing, around.  And so we hunkered down under a tiny overhang as it poured and we waited for the bus...

About 45 minutes later a kindly gentleman stopped on his motorcycle in the pouring rain to point out a shelter a ways down the road...apparently the bus was going to come from the opposite direction that we had anticipated and (of course) there was a rain shelter to wait under at the proper bus stop.  So we moved, soaking wet, and at least looked a little less like fools when the bus came a few minutes later.

By the time we arrived at the Chocolate Farm the rain had stopped, the sun was setting, and we were pretty excited.  As we walked up to the house I realized that I recognized one the of the people there - he had been at the last farm I was at and was now at the Chocolate Farm for his second time - the family has adopted him for a month or so, while their own son is away.  We had arrived on pizza night and the cobb oven was already fired up when we arrived.

Oh yeah...and there were puppies!

This was one of the first farms I can genuinely say that I wanted to stay at for much longer than I could.  The vibe was laid back, friendly, organized, and there was work to do!  This is a Tico family farm, running a local business based on growing cacao and the processing of chocolate.  It's also a mixed farm slowly implementing permaculture principles and practices.

Over the time I stayed at the farm I shelled roasted cacao beans, processed the ground cacao and sugar to make chocolate, molded chocolate, packaged cacao powder, labeled chocolate soap, and ate chocolate.  I and the other volunteers (there was six of us in total) did other jobs as well.  There was some construction, picking oranges, picking rocks and carrying them up a very big hill (for a future cobb project), and helping with dinners.

Roasting the Cacao Beans

Shelling Roasted Cacao Beans

Molding the Chocolate

So many yummy chocolate flavours!

The Construction Project (I didn't work on this)

The work day was well defined and that kept the whole experience very mellow.  We got up around 6am and watered the gardens.  We had breakfast around 7am and worked from 7:30am to 12pm, at which point it was time for lunch.  After cleaning up, we were free until dinner prep - around 5:30pm.
  

Maybe this is why I didn't want to leave!
Unfortunately it wasn't in the best shape, but it made me feel good to know it was there. 

My living quarters

This left plenty of time for volunteers to explore their own interests, whether that meant reading a book, crafting, making natural ginger ale, baking bread, or learning how to roast cashews.

Did you know that the cashew nut is toxic before being roasted?
Also, the cashew fruit can be used for all kinds of things, from juice to hooch!

It's hard to say what makes a farm seem more inviting or interesting than another.  Sometimes it's the mix of volunteers that are currently at the farm.  Other times it's the type of work available to do.  And then at times it's the atmosphere and personality of the farm and farm family.  In this case, I believe my desire to stay longer was a mix of all three.  I have to admit that although my next farm was only a twenty minute walk away, I stayed until the last possible hour before putting on my pack and heading out the gate.

Toucan!  We saw seven at once.  

Dominical Dreaming

So I've been trying to figure out why we live in such a cold climate and have come to the conclusion that we're either dumb or crazy.  Say what you will about how great Canadian summers are and how the changing of the seasons is a beautiful phenomenon, but after pondering this question at the ocean side for the last five days I'm starting to think we should all move to the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.  And by "we", I mean the whole lot of us - friends and family.

Dominical is a special place.  A tiny little beach town with no paved roads, a cluster of restaurants and drinking holes, local craft vendors, cabins for rent, and more surf shops than grocery stores.  It's quiet and the sunsets are spectacular.

There is also a tranquil vibe at Hostel Piramys, where I've been staying.  It seems to make people stay longer than originally intended.  One person came for two days and stayed for twelve.  I was supposed to be here for three days, but have extended my stay to five days.  The real reason for my lengthened stay is that one of my farm interviews fell through and so I have had to bide my time at the beach.

It's a tough life.  I have had to spend my time lying in hammocks, reading and writing, suntanning, walking the beach, swimming in the ocean, and watching the sunset.

I've had an interesting experience though.  I met two people who volunteered on one of the farms I was recently at.  I had heard that they were coming to the farm, but I left a day or two prior to their arrival.  I decided to interview them one night about their experience on the farm and just as we were getting started amongst of the hustle and bustle of dinner preparation in the kitchen, another volunteer that we all knew from the same farm walked into the hostel looking for accommodations.  It's a small world!

And so today myself and a fellow traveler are both making our way to my next farm.  So once again I have company for my travels.  He's planning to stay one month volunteering.  I will be there for four nights doing my research.  And so it's time to get back to work for the last 10 days of my time here in Costa Rica.  I'll be visiting a total of three more farms in a very short period of time.  I promise to keep sharing my experiences.  

Español Por Favor!

I came to Costa Rica with the desire to improve my Spanish.  Yet until arriving at this most recent farm, I have not been immersed in the Spanish language.  That seems a little ridiculous given that I'm in a Spanish speaking country, but the truth is as a traveler in Costa Rica you can get by with virtually no Spanish.  However, I don't recommend that anyone take this path, as Costa Ricans are both gracious and patient while you butcher their language asking for a fruit smoothie.

I have had moments of amazing aptitude while conversing in Spanish, punctuated quite frequently with serious fumbles (even if I rehearsed what I wanted to say ahead of time).  I was, however, starting to take a little pride in knowing more Spanish than many of my fellow travellers.  Which is probably why it was timely that I be humbled at this latest farm...

Farm #6, as I refer to it in my research, was hard to find.  In fact I wasn't even going to the right place when I set off from Turrialba.  Luckily I started talking to the girl next to me and the bus driver overheard, with minutes of me striking up that conversation I was being let off on the side of the highway, with no real understanding of where I was.  I was able to ask around and was soon pointed to a side road and was told the town I was looking for (and hence the farm) was 2 km away.  So I headed off, accompanied by an older gentleman, who lived in the small town his whole life.  He walked me all the way to the farm gate.

At the farm I was greeted and oriented to the farm by the resident Spanish teacher.  Right from the start, she and everyone else who worked on the farm spoke Spanish to me.  I had already intended to take a few Spanish classes, but right away I knew some refresher courses would be necessary.  It was great and what I had been expecting since my arriving at my first farm.

And so my days were scheduled.  In the morning, breakfast would be served at 7:00am.  Work started at 7:30am, with a break at 10:00am.  Then more work until 12:00pm, when it was time for lunch.  The rest of the day would be free, except of course for my Spanish class at 2:30pm.  Dinner would be served at 6:00pm.  So organized!  This was the first farm I had been to with so much coordination and consideration for volunteers.  There are two dedicated cooks for the meals and the Tico workers are paired with volunteers in order to teach environmental practices and provide for cultural exchange.

This farm has just recently started its journey into permaculture, initiated by a couple newer (and younger) Costa Rican farm/community members.  Interestingly, this was the first farm where I have encountered traditional permaculture designs, such as banana circles and herb spirals.

Banana Circle

Banana circles are a traditional tropical permaculture design, which is essentially what it sounds like.  Cuttings are planted in a large circle with root crops, such as sweet potatoes or taro, and herbs.  A pit in the middle acts as a compost pile and grey water filtration system.  Bananas are heavy feeders and the constant addition of compost and water provides them with what they need and hence, what you need - bananas!

Herb spirals are a classic permaculture feature for all climates and are often one of the first things constructed in a permaculture design landscape.  Ideally located near the kitchen for convenient access when cooking, an herb spiral efficiently uses space because of its vertical structure.  It's circular design creates microclimates that are effected by the presence or absence of wind and sun.  Gravity works it's magic on water, creating drier climates at the top of the spiral and moist conditions at the bottom.  Thus, the aloe vera at the top of this herb spiral.  Also, the various plants within the spiral create a biodiverse microclimate attracting beneficial insects.

Herb Spiral

Since the farm was very organized I had many different volunteer opportunities.  The first day a couple of us picked uchuvas (gooseberries, I think) and prepared them for marmalade.  We turned compost and put it into bags for spreading on the fields, and worked to untangle and suspend the uchava plants, so they grew more vertically.  Some of our volunteer hours were spent getting a tour of the farm and for myself, interviewing the owner of the farm.

Uchuva or Gooseberry

Compost Piles

The weather turned cold and rainy as the week progressed, very unseasonable weather for the driest and hottest month of the year.  Rain is virtually unheard of in March and the Ticos were astonished by the weather - a very stark example of climate change - it rained everyday.  I needed four blankets at night and it was too cold to comfortably stay up and write in my journal in the evening.  As much as I enjoyed the farm, I was happy to leave the rain and clouds for the sun, sand, and ocean of the Pacific Coast.

A Traveler's Worst Nightmare

Theft.

Tourists are always vulnerable to theft, despite their best efforts to prevent it.  It's the lifestyle. Everything you own is in a nylon or canvas bag.  If you are lucky there is a small locker where you are staying for your most valuable items.  Theft when traveling comes in varying degrees of severity.  Here is a list, in order of most troubling to minor annoyance.

1. Passport
2. Visa and Debit Cards
3. Money
4. Computer
5. Stuff

So you're probably at this point wondering why I am writing about this.  Don't worry Mom and Dad, all is well.  However, about a week and a half ago, it wasn't.  Two things happened.

1. At the beginning of my trip, my debit card was eaten by a very hungry ATM machine - a common occurrence here in Latin America.  At the time I didn't realize you could make the bank open up the machine and they could get it back to you intact (take note fellow travellers).  I thought it was gone and called my bank to cancel my card.  I knew I still had a credit card so I wasn't too concerned.

2. A week and a half ago, I tried to withdraw money from an ATM in San Isidro, actually I tried three times with no success.  I called the bank only to learn that they had suspended my account due to some suspicious activity...there was actually a lot of suspicious activity with transactions coming all the way from Saudi Arabia!  My credit card had fallen victim to fraud.  As I was on the phone with the bank, the representative could see more transactions going through and informed me that he needed to cancel my credit card.  My credit card.  My only source to money.  My credit card, which represented food, shelter, travel, and security.  I almost panicked as I held the receiver of the public phone, my mind racing, wondering how and what I would do.  I explained, doing my best to hold back tears, that without access to my card that I was going to be in a lot of trouble.  And so, bless his soul, he opened up my account again, and told me to drop the receiver of the phone and run over to the ATM across the street and withdraw as much money as possible, and them come back to the phone.  So with my time on my phone card ticking I did just that.  I was able to withdraw enough to get me through the rest of my time in Costa Rica - just barely.

And so, step two, mail a new credit card to a country where addresses don't exist.  Every address in Costa Rica is located through landmarks, not street names, numbers, or postal codes.  And so, my card was being couriered to a hotel in the front of the park, across from the church, in the region of Perez Zeledon.  Crazy right?

Well, on Friday I arrived back to the hotel from my latest farm (blog to come) to find my package waiting for me.  The very good folks at Hotel Chirripo, signed for and stored my package until I came back.  And so, while still needing to budget, I have access to funds again, and can afford to eat more than bananas and avocados.

I'm now in Dominical, a chill little surfing town on the Pacific Coast.  I can see the ocean as I write this.

Pura Vida!

A Raw Experience

Breakfast

I'm not sure how many people are familiar with the Raw Food Diet, but essentially the premise is that most nutrients in foods are lost through the cooking process: boiling, steaming, frying, baking, and heating.  The smells that infiltrate the air and the colours leached into the water when cooking are nutrients that you won't be ingesting.  Raw food enthusiasts eat fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts in their raw state and usually favour organic produce.  There are many variations to the Raw Food Diet and many debates within the raw food community - I won't get into that - instead I'll tell you about my experience going 100% raw for 5 days and 4 nights at the last farm I visited.

The farm is situated in the hills of rural Costa Rica, accessible only by 4x4 vehicles.  Guests and volunteer interns alike sleep in tents on raised platforms.  There are hiking trails and a river to swim in.  Snakes, exotic insects, jaguars, wild boars, red macaws, hummingbirds, and toucans can be seen if you are lucky (or unlucky, depending on your perspective).  But the reason most people find themselves in this remote paradise is to experience and learn how to live healthily on a raw food diet.

At this particular farm, no salt, sugars, or oils are used.  There is also no coffee or hot tea.  Much of the food consumed comes from the farm itself, which practices permaculture using organic farming methods.  The rest is bought at the local farmers' market each Thursday.  I should say at this point that at this particular farm I came in as a guest, not a volunteer/intern and I am quite thankful for that change in plan.  Switching so dramatically to a 100% raw food diet, without any detoxing in advance was a bit taxing on my body.  By the afternoon of Day 2, I had a stomach ache and a headache, which were both symptoms of detoxing.  Yet, I tried to hold strong, going for a hike to a waterfall in the afternoon and beginning my interviews...but it was a really tough day.  I could not imagine coming in as an intern and being expected to work the first full day of my stay for 6 hours, plus helping with food preparation on top of that.  Interns are actually expected to begin detoxing and switching to a raw food diet one month in advance of their arrival to the farm; however this is much easier said than done.  Aside from the food there is also jet-lag and adjusting to a new routine and climate.  Not easy.

My Tent

The Waterfalls

By Day 3 I was starting to feel much better, though the green breakfast smoothies weren't as appetizing as I had initially perceived, and by Day 4 I felt great.  I can easily see why people come to this particular farm - to heal naturally from illnesses, to lose weight, to re-energize and rejuvenate.  The owner talked at length about people dropping 5-10 pounds within the first week, most of which is water retention from all the salt we consume on a daily basis.  Though the detox process is much longer, continuing for months and lasting up to two years.  

Ripe Cacao Growing on the Tree

Did you know you can eat the white fruit surrounding the cacao beans?
So Yummy!

Permaculture and raw food form a mutually beneficial relationship, not only for human health, but also for efficiency.  To paraphrase the owner of this farm, why go to all the work of raising food organically and building soil health if we're just going to destroy all of these nutrients in the cooking process.  If we are growing and eating in an efficient manner, than raw makes the most sense.

Speaking of mutually beneficial...
A vanilla vine climbing a tree, using its surface nutrients

Ginger growing in a bed mulched with coconut husks

The logic is indisputable and in a hot country, such as Costa Rica, the raw food diet feels right.  But in colder climates, such as Canada, I think going 100% raw is a much harder task - both physically and emotionally - and I sincerely take my hat off to those who try.  For now, my experience has convinced me to eat more fruits and vegetables in their raw state, but I'm certainly not ready to give up hot winter soups!

Ripe biriba growing on the tree

Biriba ready to aat
Tastes just like lemon meringue pie

For those interested in learning more about eating raw and healthy eating.  I read through and was recommended a couple books that might of particular interest:

The Raw Secrets: The Raw Vegan Diet in the Real World by Frédéric Patenaude

Eat to Live: The Amazing Nutrient-Rich Program for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss by Joel Fuhrman

Fit for Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond

Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill: The Complete Guide to Fats, Oils, Cholesterol and Human Health by Udo Erasmus

Right now I'm in Turrialba, staying at Casa de Lis Hostel.  I'm here to visit CATIE, The Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Centre.  Tomorrow I have a half-day guided tour booked and am very excited to learn even more about tropical agriculture.  

A little bird made her nest in the shower!

Wwoof! Wwoof!

Chili Peppers

While volunteering on farms in foreign countries isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, it certainly captures the imagination and interest of some travelers.  These individuals (and couples) are usually between 20 and 35 years old, traveling on a shoestring budget, environmentally conscious, and idealistic.  Volunteers usually arrive at a farm full of energy and awe, ready to implement an ecological project (like building a solar oven), plant an herb spiral or Mandela garden, and learn the local culture.  They come with open minds, a sense of adventure, and enthusiasm.  They also come with needs, unique personalities, and expectations.  At the farm I just recently visited, over 100 volunteers from over 20 different countries had contributed to farm and family life in the last three years. 

Natural Luffa

So what does it mean to volunteer on a farm in Costa Rica?  Unlike most countries that support a WWOOF (Willing Workers On Organic Farms) network, Costa Rica does not follow the conventional model where 4-6 hours of volunteer work are traded for room and board – with no money exchanged.  Instead the vast majority of farms in Costa Rica offering volunteer or internship programs charge a fee.  The fee ranges from $10 – $30 per day depending on the length of stay, with many farms requiring a minimum stay of one month.  
That said, there seems to be some farms that will host people for a full work exchange (i.e. 8 hours per day) for free, though this has had mixed results.  Fees are necessary because labour is so cheap in Costa Rica that volunteers actually cost the farm money, especially if not all the food is grown onsite.  (As a side note, the average farm worker in Costa Rica makes $2 per hour, though some farms pay $3 per hour)  A volunteer might be asked for references, or to provide a resume or fill out a list of questions, which allows the host farm have a better idea of what to expect from their new live-in volunteer.

The Farm's Livestock

But what should the volunteer expect?  Well, from my past experiences wwoofing and from the few select farms I have visited here in Costa Rica the answer is ANYTHING.  It is guaranteed that a volunteer will encounter new and uncomfortable situations, be forced to try new foods, integrate themselves into family life, and deal with animals, children, new routines and expectations. 

My open-air sleeping quarters

For instance, the first farm I stayed on, here in Costa Rica, had me sleeping in a bunk bed in the main house, while the most recent farm had a separate open-air area, quite a distance from the main house, with beds and mosquito nets.  In the first instance I quickly realized that I was not only sharing my space with other interns and community members, but quite a few cockroaches and spiders.  And so I began changing which end I put my head each night, making sure it was opposite to the end the cockroaches had chosen that particular day.  So gross!  The most recent situation, which I was actually a bit nervous about, turned into four beautiful sleeps under a full moon, with me being lulled to sleep by the insects and birds chirping away throughout the night.  Spectacular. 

Inside my cabina

Solar Shower

I found my most recent farm experience both inspiring and challenging, which I think is probably a common experience of most volunteers.  My experience started off very similar to my previous farm visit, but this time I hadn’t even boarded the bus before I met a couple who were currently staying on the farm.  While on the bus, I was given the low down of what to expect, was introduced to other expats living in the area (who were also on the bus), and again graciously shown the way to my new temporary home.  This time the ascent was a little less steep and I managed to carry my bags myself. 

5 Puppies!

I had arrived at an interesting time.  The farm had actually temporarily stopped their volunteer program in order to reassess the program and catch up with daily family life that includes small children, animals, farm workers, and the planning of upcoming events and projects.  So I was the sole volunteer, but definitely not alone!  Two adults, a few young children, seven dogs (5 of which are puppies), a couple cats, goats, cows, chickens, ducks, as well as two Tico workers, and the couple renting a house on the property were also living there.  As an only child who really never got into that whole babysitting racket, my personal challenge came simply from co-existing with the chaos of so many animals and children.  In fact, most of my volunteer time at the farm went towards domestic help – washing dishes and watching the kids.  Professionally, my challenge was commandeering the attention and time of the marvelous, smart, and ambitious permaculturalists (and parents) that own the farm long enough to do my research. 

Yucca - A Root Vegetable

Of course all new and challenging experiences also come with rewards and precious moments.  I had many of these.  I learned how to harvest yucca and then make yucca pizza, which is delicious!  Instead of dough, yucca is boiled, mashed with garlic and baked into pizza crust and then loaded with garden fresh toppings and popped back into the oven.  I harvested oranges and made a couple litres of freshly squeezed orange juice.  I also learned the valuable lesson of only harvesting what you can realistically process…I must have squeezed oranges for hours and hours, and I still didn’t process everything I harvested.  I also learned to (mostly) trust a five year old as I scrambled after him through the jungle, up and over rocks and steep paths to a waterfall.

A Family Affair - Yucca Pizza!

The pizza went so fast I almost didn't get a photo

And so, opening myself up to jobs that don’t come naturally (babysitting) and the unknown, I once again met some amazing people who are doing amazing things in rural Costa Rica. 

Orange Picking

Orange Juicing

I’ll talk more about this farm in future blogs, as they are living permaculture and they have ideas and ambitious plans to transform the region into an ecological farming oasis through local organic certification programs, buying clubs, CSAs, educational programming, and the creation of intentional community.    

I leave for my next farm tomorrow morning.

To be continued…