August 6, 2026 — Finca Alazan Updates group
”In horticulture there is a methodology called STUN: Sheer Total Utter Neglect.
The Finca Alazan has been shaped strongly by this approach, not by choice but by necessity. Life has not yet permitted me to retire from my work in Santa Barbara and become a CostaRican regenerative farmer, so I have come here as often and stayed as long as I could, each time starting gestures that were mostly doomed but often successful. Each visit I would check to see who lived and who perished. Over the fourteen years since we started, the true survivors have shown their mettle. We have learned from our failures and traded on our successes. The consortium of plants that persists presents a formidable lineup. Vanilla, Coco, Piña, Turmeric, Citrus, Guava, Biriba, Mango, Avocado, Cacao, Coffee, Banana, Plátano. These plants are STUN tough and produce delicious nutritious products of value.
Liberating these high value survivors from the aggressive entanglement of the would be jungle has been our focus this week.
Alex suggested we have a community work day in the farm. Let’s do it! It seems Sunday morning would be perfect and we welcome anyone who can make it down to the Finca to join us! We usually start early because it is cooler.
We can hold a WiFi enabled Zoom meeting here at the roundhouse later in the morning for all bodies who can’t attend the informal gathering in the farm. What do y’all say?”