agroforestry

TREES HELPING TREES

The bulk of commodity cacao relies on freebies from nature to stay cheap. Naturally, these freebies aren’t actually free, but come at a significant long-term cost, usually in the form of deforestation. We’re repurposing heavily abused ex-sugar land and attempting to bring it into a new and genuinely viable balance.

One way we’re working on this approach is through agroforestry – planting Mahogany, Koa, Milo and Neem trees as our windrows, and Cedro and Cordia as permanent shade. All of these beautiful species deliver excellent carbon sequestration and habitat, and some trees like Koa have the added benefit of fixing nitrogen, helping to build long-term soil health and nutrition for our cacao.

Over the years we have learned a great deal and expanded our efforts to include planting other species throughout our orchard. At different times of the cacao trees’ lives the various additions help with protection from the wind, the sun and reinvigorate nutrient levels.

The picture above shows the extent to which we have gone to create a bio-diverse environment. We started with bare red dirt. Not a green leaf, tree or other beneficial organism was present. We have created a forest within which our farm can thrive. (As do all the mongoose, pueo and the occasional pigs and rats too...)