Our Journal
Journal Entries from the Frontier of Regeneration
Living on the edge can be scary, but it’s where the action is. At the edge of new technologies, at the edge of new forms of art, at the moving edge of the unknown – that’s where you find the most creative expressions. That’s true in Nature as well, as scientist speak of the “edge effect” to explain the playfulness of life that is forced to straddle ecosystems.
We at Finca Luna Nueva are straddling ecosystems and edging into the unknown. We exist at the fluid edge of forest and farm, and it is our goal to honor the integrity of the rainforest as we create abundance from the our fields. We appreciate that the thin layer of topsoil supporting all human societies is disappearing rapidly, along with it water security and biodiversity. We are resolved to test farming practices to see if we can regenerate topsoil and biodiversity while producing food abundance. That’s the critical unknown that must be explored. We’re at the dawn of a world regenerative movement; welcome to the frontier!
Story of a silent war
Posted by: Kimberly Barquero
The Passifloraceae family is a pantropical family of plants. It is represented in all tropical and subtropical climates of the world, with about 530 different species. Within this family there is a genus of about 300 species called Passiflora. They are called passionflower. Today we will talk a little about this genus and its relationship with […]
Ice on Fire
Posted by: Tom Newmark
Ice on Fire, a feature-length documentary from TreeMedia, has been greenlit by HBO. The production team is traveling from the North Pole to the deserts to mangroves to the rainforest, capturing on film our existential environmental crisis. The rainforest segment was just filmed at our farm and lodge, and we were thrilled to participate. The […]
Shutterbugs!
Posted by: Tom Newmark
We enjoy every type of biodiversity at our rainforest ecolodge, and we especially enjoyed the recent invasion of Shutterbugus americanus, otherwise known as the professional and enthusiastic amateur photographers from Creve Coeur Camera, www.cccamera.com, in the United States. Led by owner and photographer Stephen Weiss and his instructors Scott Rovak and Tom Tussey, pictured below, […]
Would you like some topsoil with that salad?
Posted by: Tom Newmark
Industrial agribusiness uses harsh methods to produce inferior food. Toxic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers distort ecosystems, and there’s almost nothing more damaging than applying steel to soil – otherwise known as tilling. As a result of agribusiness malpractice, the planet loses about 75 billion tons of top soil per year – ten tons per person […]
An essay from Steven and Tom
Posted by: Tom Newmark
Published on Wednesday, March 15, 2017by Common Dreams Beyond Wetiko Agriculture: Saving Ourselves from the Soil Up The diagnosis is clear. Now what are we going to do about it?byTom Newmark, Steven Farrell 6 Comments’Business interests chasing enormous short-term profits have waged war against the productive topsoil of the planet,’ warn Newmark and Farrell, ‘and we’ve already lost […]
A Month in the Life of Luna
Posted by: Tom Newmark
Luna Nueva in February – it’s a glorious time to visit. The rains of early January have given way to bright skies and cool nights, and photographers can luxuriate in the early morning sunlight. We thought to take you on a stroll of the farm, perhaps inspiring you to come visit – or come back!More […]
The Big Man, The Big Stink, and the Conservation Challenge
Posted by: Tom Newmark
We are pleased to announce that our “Big Man” is in full flower, stinking up the rainforest with its indelicate bouquet of rotting flesh. The Big Man, a/k/a Hombron or more scientifically Dracontium gigas, is a confusing plant. It looks like a tree, but it’s really a big stem. It looks solid, but it’s somewhat […]
Two Plus Three Equals Sloths
Posted by: Kimberly Barquero
A few months ago, near our reception area, we delighted in watching this mother sloth tenderly care for her little baby girl. These sloths are “three-toed” and of the “brown-throated” variety, carrying the scientific name Bradypus variegatus. They are common to our area of Costa Rica, but we at Finca Luna Nueva are particularly blessed […]
Every Day is Graced with Turmeric
Posted by: Tom Newmark
Every Day is Graced with TurmericTurmeric, known scientifically as Curcuma longa, is considered by many to be royalty in the family of medicinal herbs. We have grown turmeric for more than twenty years at our farm, and we are proud that people all over the world have enjoyed the healing benefits of our turmeric. Our […]
Gentle Bees with Magical Honey
Posted by: Kimberly Barquero
Welcome to Meliponiculture. That’s a big word for raising some of the tiniest bees in the world, and at Luna Nueva we follow this ancient practice of beekeeping stingless bees to support the ecosystem and produce some of the most treasured honey of the world. These stingless bees are called Tetragonisca angustula, one of the […]
A Chocolate Immersion At Luna Nueva
Posted by: Kimberly Barquero
A Chocolate Immersion at Luna Nueva We take chocolate very seriously here at the farm. We also take it hot, cold, spicy, and sweet, in bars, confections, and happily, all throughout the day. It starts from our regenerative practices, which focus on the life force of the soil and the united consciousness of all who […]
