This secluded farm was founded in May 2017, born from a deep love for nature and living in it in a more respectful and sustainable way, with the desire to be the home, school and oasis for those who want to take the step to a much more low-impact, healthy and self-sufficient lifestyle.
Who we are
My name is Alba Aguirre , the founder and coordinator of Finca La Quimera. I'm originally from Spain and decided to take the step and move to the mountains in Costa Rica to start the farm I had always dreamed of.I currently live here with my little girl, my cat and my dogs.
A few years ago I started hosting groups of volunteers to share this learning experience and style of life with others. This has been incredibly enriching for all of us, a great way to spread the word for change and for people to take new ideas home.
For this reason I became keen in incorporating Permaculture principles and values into our daily life and actions in the farm and after compleating a Permaculture Certificate Course here in Costa Rica I started planning and designing the farm's spaces that we are currently developing.
We are at 800m above sea level which let's us enjoy a beautiful warm and sunny weather most mornings and sometimes rainy and cooler afternoon and nights.
We are periodically improving the greengardens, by improving our soil, preparing the beds for a new period of planting. Taking care of our banana, plantain and coffee orchards, planning and developing an Agroforestry system by reforesting with some native timber and fruit species, improving the kitchen and common áreas, finishing details at the volunteers cabin, improving trails, and working to create the systems that will connect and feed these elements.
At the farm we are growing organically different types of crops, fruit trees and vegetables, that our volunteers are involved in maintaining, harvesting, cooking and enjoying in their dishes. Our Organic produce increases each day.
Among the practices we use at the farm for a sustainable living are:
Using mountain microorganisms to regenerate and improve our green garden's soil.
Making natural juices from different plants to control ants and other vegetable predators.
Creating compost from our kitchen food scraps.
Hummanure production that we get from our composted manure from the dry toilets we all use.
Generating our own mulch to cover and protect the soil and also to use at the chicken coop.
Getting our own eggs from the chickens we feed our food scraps to.
Capturing all our water from water springs inside the farm and filter it for drinking with the help of Ecofilters.
Building our own natural grey water filters and managing this waters ourselves.
Separating waste and making sure most of what we have used becomes a new resource...etc
At La Quimera Farm we have no electricity, we only have some small solar lights for the common kitchen so you will also be able to experience what it is to live off grid, letting your days start guided by the light of dawn, allowing this natural circles to bring balance into your body and soul, a rithm of life in total harmony with nature.
Our mission and vision
Our mission is to create a sustainable human ecosistem in the forest that doesn't disturb nature processes while promoting a healthy and balanced life in community based in permaculture principles.
The purpose of this project is to produce our food and shelter in a coherent and healthy way while generating enough abundance to cover the phisicall and social needs of a small community and sharing this process so that it can be reproduced. Therefore we investigate natural and regenerative agriculture techniques and bioconstruction methods for the improvement of our growing and vital spaces.
We are happy to host volunteers of all ages and any gender who are over 18, in good health condition, with the compromise of beeing careing and respectful to all other people and beings around the farm. We make sure volunteers get involved in the activities they are most interested in and that the tasks they are to carry on fits their age and phisicall condition. There is all types of activities to be done at a farm so let us know which fits you best.
Joining Finca la Quimera is a great way to get to know the real Costa Rican country life.
This project was created from scratch and it's a perfect way to learn how to start your own farm with the basics.
Joining farm La Quimera for a few weeks will make a great impact on your life , to take an amazing experience of life back home and it helps the local community letting them get involved with a very different and conscious visitors in the country.