CLOSE YOUR EYES...
Picture an emerald green island, cooling in the aqua sea...
Envision yourself in the ultimate fruit forest, located on this most idyllic of Caribbean islands, surrounded by sweeping ocean views and sunsets over the volcano, with parrots darting from mango laden tree to fragrant ylang-ylang, and gentle tree sloths climbing languidly to bid you good morning...
Imagine yourself walking through kilometers of intricately landscaped gardens, every tree, shrub, and plant you pass offering up fruits of every conceivable flavor and size and color and shape to your palate, a TRUE Garden of Eden on Earth!
Welcome to Central America's most diverse and lush Permaculture farm!!
SEE MORE PHOTOS AT THE END
MISSION:
To create a model of sustainable living and permaculture production which can act as a teaching institution, a productive farm, a genetic bank and plant material resource, and above all, a Garden of Eden on Earth.
THE STORY:
The farm began as a dream to lead a sustainable and responsible life, and to offer the experience to others in order to spread knowledge and caring for the planet.
THE SITE:
The farm is located in Panama, off the northern, Caribbean coast, in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, island of Bastimentos.
Idyllic Isla Bastimentos is the outermost island of the Bocas chain, with a large national park and extensive pristine beaches along the ocean side and deep-water harbors along the bayside. Old Bank, the primary town on "Basti" is located in a protected harbor, and the farm begins at the farthest western end of the harbor.
THE AREA:
24.6-hectare (60 acres) farm spans the island from bay to beach. It is just far enough from town to avoid the hustle and bustle but offers the proximity needed for day to day operations and living. It is the perfect getaway, with access to the shopping and nightlife of town while maintaining the idyllic paradise island aesthetic.
TOPOGRAPHY:
From sea level at bayside to 60 meters of elevation in less than 400 meters distance. The terrain of the farm is extremely varied with numerous valleys, ridges, hills, and vales with exceptional views and intimate house sites scattered through the landscape.
VIEWS:
The farm has the best views in all of Bocas of the Bocas Bay, the islands, and the Bocas del Toro mountains in the distance, including Volcano Baru. The unimpeded views continue to the backside of the property with ocean view sunrises and mountain and bay sunsets. From some sites the views are nearly 360 degrees.
THE BEACH:
First Beach, or Wizard Beach, is perhaps one of the most breathtaking beaches in Bocas, and is nearly deserted on most days due to the length of the walk through town. The farm is situated such that it is less than 100 meters as the crow flies from the edge of the farm to the beach.
THE FARM:
There are over 500 cultivated species of tree and shrub, for fruit and medicine, hardwood and ornament. 160 species of fruit trees from origins as distant as Borneo, Hawaii, Thailand, Colombia, and the U.S. have been brought together to form an intricate hyper-productive ecosystem - a Fruit Forest. (Species list available to serious inquiries only.) Intermixed with exotic and local hardwoods (70+ species) and medicinal plants and trees, our Garden of Eden was designed to feed 80 people with ALL their needs completely organically and with a cornucopia of fruit and vegetable diversity unrivalled in the Americas. The farm is roughly 2/3 planted and could be custom finished to fit a client's needs, such as orchards of any especially desired fruits like mango or juicing guavas, or perfume planting like jasmine and ylang-ylang, or simply continue with the mixed fruit forest plan.
To date roughly 15,000 trees and shrubs, over 90% of which are for food or medicinal use, have been planted on 15 of the 30 arable acres.
INFRASTRUCTURE:
Dock
A 90-foot bullet wood dock extends from shore to the deep-water drop-off, allowing even the deepest drawing boat access to the farm. Plans for a small rancho at the end of the dock including a dry-dock boathouse in progress.
Roads
An extensive system of roads, paths and bridges, have been expertly built into the landscape, offering access from the deep water dock to the highest points on the farm in a few minute’s golf-cart ride. All roads are constructed to shed heavy rainfall through swales and drains and withstand hard daily use and light machinery.
Bridges
All bridges are built of bullet wood and are designed to take the weight of light machinery (except the ornamental boardwalk).
Water system
The farm has over 30,000 gallons of spring water bubbling up on four main locations and a few minor ones throughout the property. It cannot be overstated how difficult it is to get sufficient good water in Bocas, and the value of these springs is immeasurable. Spring-boxes for collection and slow sand filters for purification are in place, providing plenty of the purest drinking and bathing water on the planet.
Waterworks
An extensive system of streams, swales, ponds, channels, and chinampas crisscrosses the farm, creating an aquatic mosaic full of color, sound, and life. Water moves through the landscape in a system of drainage channels and small cascades, down into an extensive pond and chinampa system, producing flowers, fish, shrimp, and crabs, as well as providing habitat for a multitude of wetland species. The raised islands in the chinampas are not only beautiful but extremely productive zones planted with high-end fruit trees.
The Village:
The Eco-Village consists of 3 main houses, the Kitchen/Lounge, and six cabinas.
The Main House is a 2-story loft-style cabin built of tropical hardwoods with mesmerizing views over a pristine valley where parrots pass each morning and sloths hang in the trees. The indoor/outdoor shower is off the open-air living space, cantilevered out over the valley.
The two Small Houses each look out over the same valley, and are built to comfortably house an individual or a couple for shorter term stays.
The Kitchen/Lounge is one of the largest and best-designed thatch roofs in Bocas del Toro. At over 1000 square feet, with a split level polished concrete floor, ornately carved 6x6 wooden posts, and 35foot cathedral ceilings the Kitchen is a sight to see. Available fully operational - restaurant quality six burner range/oven, solar freezer, solar refrigerator, and custom sinks - or just as a beautiful central structure for meetings or possible house conversion.
There are six small camp-cabinas spread along the ridge about the nursery and wetlands, each large enough for a double bed and a small dresser, for short term stays, kids, or farm workers.
The Nursery:
The Nursery area includes the central nursery, three full sun nursery areas, the composting finishing barn, the compost shed, and the bodega and watch house nestled in between the road and it's own private pond. The nursery itself is capable of maintaining thousands of plants and small trees for extended periods of time, and the full sun areas, within reach of the nursery water supply, can be watered with the turn of a knob even in drought times.
The composting areas are important for using all of the organic yard and leaf scrap and wood waste from the farm operations, and turns organic materials into valuable fertilizer for the trees. The nursery has the ability to immediately generate income and as the trees mature, in the future from genetics and a diversity of offerings for the booming population in the area.
The bodega and watchman's house is the tool shed and security hutch of the farm, keeping the tools and farm implements close at hand and a watchful eye on the road at night while set at the optimal elevation for easy access to the dock and farm.
The farm is held in a Panamanian corporation, certified by the government as a reforestation project with tax benefits. More details available upon request.
