1011, 2013
The regular hatching of new baby chicks…
The regular hatching of new baby chicks from real chickens is one of the greatest joys of free-range poultry farming.
911, 2013
Behind the kitchen
Behind the kitchen.
2610, 2013
Thunder lawn mowing
The grass started growing too tall (again) on the lawn in front of the main house so we just brought Thunder over from his pasture.
2410, 2013
Growing Shiitake mushrooms in an oak log
Oak log inoculated with Shiitake mushroom dowels. The wood is actually “Roble Sabana” which translates to “Savannah Oak” but is very different than northern oak. It’s a beautiful tree which produces countless white, pink, and purple flowers in the dry season and has many uses. We use its inner bark to make Pau D’arco which is a delicious medicinal tea. The wood is also very suitable for construction and sustainable forestry. The tree is a local species that’s very hardy, has a near perfect germination rate, and is fast growing. The Shiitake inoculation was Caitlyn’s personal project (Caitlyn is one of RDS’s awesome interns).
2110, 2013
Typical Saturday morning breakfast
Typical Saturday morning breakfast: chocolate oatmeal (soaked overnight with our oat starter of course and cooked on a low flame with fresh raw milk), usually served with a choice of local Rapadura (unrefined cane sugar) or raw honey with pure cocoa powder from a nearby farm, fresh fruits and raw milk kefir (which we make by fermenting the milk overnight with kefir grains), freshly ground local coffee, our very own recently harvested Pau D’arco tea, and as always – bright sun and jungle peace.
1810, 2013
Flowering October
We’re getting closer to the end of the green season and to the gradual switch to the dry season. A lot of plants are flowering (again) at this time of the year. Here’s our turmeric revealing its beautiful flower.
Flowering turmeric in one of our gardens.
There’s also a bunch of new baby chicks roaming around the farm with their protective mamas. All hatched in the last couple of weeks.
Recently hatched baby chicks. A couple of days old.
910, 2013
Around the farm
A few pictures randomly compiled from around the farm. Every single one of these simple sights have become incredibly rare in our contemporary world. Particularly on working farms – no matter what trendy words they use to describe themselves such as “organic”, “biodynamic”, “permaculture”, “natural”, among others.
Eggs in the garden
Growing pineapple – nature’s way. In a polyculture and without the use of any commercial product – “organic” or not.
Growing seedlings (sesame). Potting soil made right here with simple means using material from our forest.
Free ranged rooster.
Chickens living their chicken life (aka “displaying their natural behavior”). Yep, non-degenerated chickens do fly.
Free ranged eggs.
Mama & baby chickens hanging around the main house.
Pigs in the forest.
Natural horsemanship and alternative schooling (for lack of a better word).
Growing banana trees. You bet these don’t have any commercial anything applied to them, ever. We build fertility using old traditional methods and by mimicking nature.
Gallery
2909, 2013
Create a new realm of possibilities
The registration for our upcoming summer internship (set to start on January 30, 2014) is now open! We’re excited to continue to teach and practice the unique skills we offer here at Raices del Sol – particularly in the fields of natural building, integrative farming, and alternative lifestyle. More than anything we’re inspired by how RDS interns make possibility a reality and are transformed by their experience.
Given the high demand for the summer internship and our continued commitment to quality and smaller groups we’ve decided to open the high season program on a “first come first served” basis. So hurry! Space is limited.
809, 2013
Sprouting
Beautiful sprouts.
409, 2013
Ripening tomato
A ripe tomato!