Gardenias in bloom

After Maria took down a lot of our trees, it was so disheartening. It looked as though a bomb had gone off and nowhere was it more evident than in the vegetation. As “plant people” and people who live directly in the jungle with all the other forest dwelling creatures we took notice of the changes. We humans weren’t the only ones traumatized by the hurricane. Birds, bees, mongoose, iguanas, and all sorts of other creatures were displaced. There was a sadness that is hard to describe to those who haven’t been through something like that. I am still trying to wrap my mind around the complete and utter chaos that that storm brought to life and its still rippling effects.

In the plants, it was so obvious. Many were pulled from the earth, trees lost all their leaves, and others leaned so far sideways they will never be straight again. The plants that lived through it seemed to go into a shock survival mode of instant spring within about a month, trying to bring on more leaves and flowers, but they were just  trying to hold on to life while they restored themselves. Like us all.

Our ravaged tropical gardens the day after Maria

So this spring we have been even more renewed by the sight of true spring. The flowers are blooming again. The bees are pollinating. There is new growth and repair. There is hope. And this scent fills all of us with it. For us, at the farm, this means more work, but we are enjoying it. As I grow this new life form as well, we are preparing in harmony with nature.

Many of our parcha -passionfruit- vines were severely damaged but they are growing and blooming again!


Farm meadow area

Takes a lot of mowing to keep the yard looking sharp -before and after mowing about 2 acres with 2 push mowers (one each)

Lots of yard work!

New baby turkeys came out of the jungle with their mama and we put them in the coop out of harm’s way

Some of the bounty of flowers we take to the Farmer’s Market on Sundays

A new area we are cleaning up and replanting

Turkeys roaming the pineapple garden

From the farm to the Farmer’s Market-flowers, pomarrosa, guineos (bananas)

Scene from the Sunday Farmer’s Market

Another section near “Ridgeline” that we cleared of downed trees and is now being replanted

Hawk Lane and the end of the pink roble bloom


Mulberries (a favorite tree of the birds)

Pineapple that is almost ripe enough to pick

More pineapples growing

Sale and delivery of banana plants (long load!)

Pretty birds, sugar cane, palms, bougainvillea and bananas

Britton and a HUGE bunch of bananas

Even in the jungle we can clean up nice sometimes

And we still make time to go to the beach