Finca
Sol y Valle
Collaborate
We partner with private and public organizations to deliver immersive educational tours, exploring Permaculture, sustainable agriculture, natural building, holistic food preparation, and healing practices. Our programs inspire learning, innovation, and a deeper connection to sustainable living. Interested in collaborating? We'd love to hear from you! Connect with us via WhatsApp or email to explore opportunities together.
Permaculture Design Course
Join our diverse team of permaculture practitioners for this inspiring, potentially life-changing experience. Earn your Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) in an authentic permaculture community, home to more locals than foreigners. We have been practicing permaculture and community living for 6 years at Finca Sol y Valle in the agricultural heart of Costa Rica. In the past, we have only offered courses in Spanish but we are happy to now offer courses in English!
The 6-month apprenticeship program at Sol y Valle starting in January 2025 is designed for enthusiastic individuals who want to take their learning experience to the next level. Apprentices finish the program with a permaculture design certificate (PDC) and an understanding of all important areas of sustainable living, including the following areas:
Apprenticeship
What We're About
PERMACULTURE
Our 2025 sustainability goals:
1) Harvest more weight in food than we consume.
2) Catch and filter rainwater for all of our drinking and agricultural needs.
3) Gather 90% of our construction materials from the farm.
4) Produce more energy than we consume.
5) Generate zero waste.
BIO-CONSTRUCTION
All our new building projects such as rainwater collection systems, retention walls, recycling center and greenhouse use recycled and natural materials harvested here on the farm. The four main elements we use to achieve structures with nearly 100% biological materials are volcanic rocks (floors, walls, retention walls), bamboo (posts, walls, roofing structures, furniture), earth (walls, flooring) and vetiver grass (roofing).
WELLBEING
Essential aspects for healthy and sustainable living, we foster space for expression and cultivating awareness and personal development. We like to make time for beautifying surfaces, practising artisanship, dancing, drumming, fire circles, yoga, hikes, and adventures.
SYNTROPIC
AGRO-FORESTRY
Along with permaculture, we started integrating syntropic agroforestry system (SAFS) techniques into the farm in 2022. Since then, we have improved our local reliance on materials from the farm by utilizing trimmings directly in the planting area. More aggressive pruning of pioneer trees stimulates growth in those trees while creating an abundance of organic material and also opening sunlight for smaller plants and trees below. We have even reduced pest problems by integrating medicinal cuttings such as lemongrass into the veggie gardens.
ORGANIC PRODUCE
We sustain beautiful vegetable gardens and rock terraces near the houses to provide a high percentage of our vegetable needs. We harvest dozens of species including delicious salad greens, yuca, tomatoes, eggplants, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, beets, cooking herbs, passionfruit, bananas, and plantains. It is fun and healthy to harvest the day's meals and create tasty dishes! We purchase organic vegetables and fruits from nearby farms to supplement whatever we aren't growing (yet), for a well-balanced and chemical-free vegetarian diet.
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Animals
We are dedicated to maintaining our farm as a wildlife sanctuary. Recently, we welcomed Luffy, a one-eyed dog full of personality, into our family. While Luffy is a loving companion, we remain fully committed to prioritizing the safety of the local wildlife, ensuring a balance between wildlife conservation
TRAILS FAUNA WATCHING
We protect an important secondary tropical forest that is one of the few forests left in our farming region. Home to at least 60 species of birds (including motmots, tucans, orioles, and falcons). There are many interesting insects and animals such as armadillos, snakes, kinkajous, and coyotes can sometimes be seen taking refuge around the farm. We interact with the forest by planting and aiding tree growth, maintaining trails, mapping, birdwatching and just being.
BIO-CONTROLLERS
We practice methods of pest control that are chemical free and wildlife friendly. In our biofactory, we make, mix and apply products to help our plants including bio-fertilizers, fermented manure, chile-ajo, sulfocal broth and more!
COMPOST
We dedicate time and space to these processes to create rich soil for our gardens and fruit trees. These cyclical processes help us achieve our zero waste goal.
ARTISANAL PRODUCTS
Most of the vegetables and fruit we eat are harvested in our organic gardens or in the gardens of nearby organic farmers. We prepare amazing vegetarian dishes with homemade sauces - always from high-quality ingredients. We make several products for our own consumption and for sale such as Kombucha tea, wholegrain artisan sourdough bread, hot sauce and banana vinegar.
Testimonials
