August 20, 2025 — Finca Alazan Updates group
”Yes, actually any plant or tree that is growing somewhere you don’t want it is considered a weed. It’s a pretty arbitrary or subjective designation and not really a value judgement about the plant. It just happens to be in the wrong place as far as we are concerned. Pobrecito arbolito. In the mean time it is capturing carbon and accumulating biomass, so even weeds can be our allies.”
August 20, 2025
”I am curious to see Isma’s iteration of the portable paddock. In general, the more herbivores we can deploy to eat grass, the better. Obviously there is some balance to be struck, but for now it feels great to have the hungry herbivores going at our over-abundant grass resource. A super smart loop to close! Biomass is badass!! And regenerative grazing is one of the fastest ways to build biomass and soil carbon.”
January 22, 2026
”Hey all. Craig and I just had an adventure to SanJose where we visited an Agricultural supplier, AgroVia, that carries portable solar powered electric fence chargers and fence systems for horses (cows, sheep, etc). We were able to get a full (scaleable to 200 M perimeter, expandable to longer) setup for the farm. This will allow us to set up temporary pastures for the horses in the grass strips between the tree rows and elsewhere in the farm. We have been using the metal paddock panels to create a small moveable enclosure in which Frisco can eat grass, but this system is limited by the small size of the paddock and the difficulty of moving and setting the panels. With the new portable perimeter, we can give the horses access to grass til their hearts’ content while still protecting our young high value trees and plants in the rows.
We are supposed to charge the battery for 48 hours before starting to use the system, so I will begin that process right away. I can’t wait to try it out! Managing the grasses is a big task for us and I am confident this new tool will prove flexible and effective and will help fatten up the horses at the same time.
We were also able to purchase a steel 55 gallon drum that can be fashioned, with a few minor modifications, into a biochar stove so that we can begin turning woody trimmings into stable carbon biochar for addition to the tree row garden beds. Biochar is an ancient and super potent way of accelerating fertility cycles and retaining nutrients and moisture in tropical agricultural systems. We had been seeking a barrel to make a prototype for quite a while so this feels like a triumph! The barrel will be delivered to the farm next week.”
February 28, 2026
”Howdy all y’all. Things have been a little crazy lately. I am back in SB and back to work at ReGen after my lovely recent visit at Alazan and a great trip home to NOLA for Carnival.
Just can’t express how excited I am that we now are able to do targeted grazing in the Finca. I will write some more about the special alchemy of managed grazing soon but just wanted to check in.
All the suggestions of materials donations to the Finca sound terrific! We can certainly use roofing and planks to construct raised beds, chicken coops, animal housing, etc, etc. Perhaps Craig could oversee where in the container zone those useful materials could be stockpiled.
My best to all 🦋pura vida”