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We established Finca La Isla in 1987
after sailing the South Pacific Islands. The family was looking
to start a low-impact, small permaculture farm that would provide them
with a middle class tico lifestyle and that could also serve
as an example and challenge for them and other farmers, showing that
such a way of life was not only possible, but also succesful and rewarding.
 
Prior to 1978, this was a large cacao
farm that had been abandoned because of the arrival of monilia (moniliopthera
roreri), a serious fungal disease that devastated traditional
cacao growing in the Talamanca region and beyond. What remained was
a landscape of very good quality secondary and primary tropical rainforest
area with native trees and plants, fruits and abundant wildlife.
Since then there have been many changes
at the farm: new members have joined the family, and new projects have
been succesfully launched. Overall, we’ve had our successes and our
failures. In many respects, as a commercial farm, it is inefficient:
we tend to get carried away with collecting and experimenting. In fact
it was our penchant for collecting and the success of our sample landscapes
that made opening the botanical garden so logical. Through our boutique
black pepper production, botanical garden, plant nursery, landscaping
and other farm products we are able to support ourselves, while new
farm related, sustainable projects continue to emerge.
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History 
