Finca Las Nubes (Farm of the clouds) is located approximately two miles from the ocean some 1200 to 1500 ft. high on a plateau offering a cooler climate than down below. Surrounded by a steep escarpment on two sides and mountains on the other, it offers unparalleled privacy and security.
The farm has spectacular views of Costa Rica to the south, miles of beaches to the west and volcanoes rising out of Lake Nicaragua to the east. There are protected valleys for farming and large open pastures for grazing animals surrounded by natural forest with creeks and waterfalls. There is abundant wildlife including three types of monkeys, sloth, deer and many bird species.
Finca Las Nubes is an intentional community. The intent is to create a sustainable lifestyle through partnership with local community. The goals are to preserve nature for future generations while creating a continually improving, sustainable, self-sufficient and low impact community. Emphasis on stewardship of the land while developing full range of farm products through various sustainable technologies. Everything is made here on the farm. It is a certified organic farm. We employ organic permaculture principles to produce a large variety of fruit and vegetables. Partnership with our neighbors is key to the long-term success of the project.
We hope to learn humility, graciousness and indigenous knowledge of plants and nature from our local neighbors. We hope to inspire and empower them with knowledge, experience and resources to create a better model of how to live on the planet together. Respect is the most important part of all, respect for people, respect for nature and a healthy respect for the rights of future generations. We want to leave this place a better place than we found it.
Nicaragua is a very rich country when considering its people and natural resources but a very poor country economically. It is one of the safest countries in the world (per many sources). Many people say it’s the next Costa Rica. We hope not. That country has experienced explosive development which has disenfranchised its people as foreigners have profited. Many people have come to commit similar perpetration upon Nicaragua.
We are against development that denudes the land, leaves the locals landless and provides no employment for them. It is a recipe for disaster. We are first and foremost dedicated to preserving the environment and helping others do the same. Then, to producing all of our own food. We have built a store to bring our healthy organic produce and furniture to our neighbors. We have built a K-12 ever expanding international school for our kids. The people involved with our project are devoted to helping others. We support the development of sustainable farming techniques and the promotion thereof. There is a skate park and mini golf course at the gate for the local kids. Most of us have satisfied our own needs and are bent on giving back. Finca Las Nubes is designed to provide a base of operations for these projects.
This totally private farm features hundreds of acres of indigenous forest which are enhanced by our annual planting of thousands of precious hardwood trees. Preservation and reforestation are a priority to creating an abundant future. The wildlife is healthy and protected within it. We have planted fruit orchards with dozens of varieties of citrus, mango, avocado, cashew, banana, papaya, coconut and many other exotic local fruits. We have planted coffee and cocoa. Organic vegetable gardens supply our needs. At the nursery we start from seed and cuttings all manner of fruit, and hardwood trees, ornamental plants and vegetables. We imitate nature, most farmers fight nature. Nature always wins. We make organic microbial soil from worm castings fed from the wood shop shavings, cow and chicken manure and other organic waste. Compost and soil regeneration are key to a healthy farm. We employ mulching, composting and water saving techniques through the use of companion plantings, live and dead barriers, nitrogen fixers, organic fertilizers, organic disease control, biological pest control and plants that attract beneficials. There are chicken and turkey pens for organic eggs and meat. We have herds of cows, pigs and pelibuey (goat/sheep cross) to provide organic milk and meat. We do not intend on dying from eating chemically tainted foods. We have bee hives for honey and pollination. Oxen pull carts to move produce around the farm. Our farm crew is as family to us.
We intend to provide for all our needs. We process all of our timber for construction and our furniture in the wood shop. Our carpenters can produce any imaginable design. They frame our buildings, roof them with incredible tile and make all the cabinets and furniture designs that we can dream up. All hardware and metalwork are fashioned onsite. Almost everything is hand-made onsite, butcher, baker, candlestick maker…We have a fantastic construction crew building some beautiful and very permanent, stained concrete buildings with gorgeous wood sliding glass doors and windows.