Farmiculture Techniques

 Geoff McCabe

Edible Flowers at the Farm

Edible Flowers at the Farm

Many people have wanted to know which flowers you can eat, and which are poisonous or inedible due to other reasons, such as being dry, rough or tasteless. Edible flowers can be used for many purposes, such as decorating a plate, floating in a soup, or adding to a salad. The possibilities are endless. Here’s […]

 Geoff McCabe

Herbs and Plants for Personal Hygiene Products

Herbs and Plants for Personal Hygiene Products

A friend of mine, Kelly Perkins, visited the farm a few days ago, and she was curious as to what we have growing here that could be used for personal hygiene products such as lotions, scrubs, soaps, shampoos, insect repellents, and other face and skincare products. She was asking about this because she has a […]

 Geoff McCabe

Growing Garlic in the Tropics

Growing Garlic in the Tropics

Nov 12, 2012: We are growing garlic on the farm, which is a humid, hot, tropical climate. I haven’t heard of anyone growing garlic in our part of Costa Rica, but since our uneaten garlic bulbs seem to like to sprout on their own, it seems like they should grow here. A little research on […]

 Hallie Clancy

Eggplant

Eggplant

Known for their beauty in color, and egg-like shape by which they earned their name, this vegetable belongs to the nightshade family along with it’s brothers and sisters Tomatoes and Sweet Peppers. First allegedly growing wild in in ancient India it was then cultivated by the Chinese and brought over to Europe in the 14th […]

 Hallie Clancy

Healthy Spinach

Healthy Spinach

Spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, especially when fresh, steamed, or quickly boiled. As opposed to Kale where nutrition availability actually increases when steamed, the nutrients in Spinach are most accessible in it’s raw form. This edible flower plant we all know and love for the tasty leaves, antioxidant […]

 Hallie Clancy

Super Healthy Kale

Super Healthy Kale

Kale is a very versatile and nutritious green leafy vegetable. It is a widely popular vegetable since ancient Greek and Roman times for its low fat, no cholesterol but health benefiting anti-oxidant properties. Many consider is a “superfood” and is among the world’s most healthiest things to eat. Widely cultivated today across Europe, the USA […]

 Hallie Clancy

Cashew Nuts and Cashew Apples

Cashew Nuts and Cashew Apples

Cashew Nut This Kidney shaped seed originated in Brazil but was spread to other tropical nations in the 16t Century by the Portuguese. The nut is produced by the Cashew apple fruit which yields one nut per fruit, which explains why they can be fairly pricey. The outer shell in which they grow contains a […]

 Hallie Clancy

Amaranth

Amaranth

With leaves streaked through with shades of red and purple, Amaranth Greens are a gorgeous green full of protein. The species of amaranth, which is technically classified as a herb, is cultivated by many Asian cultures as a leaf vegetable. Across Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, and China and is most commonly paired with cumin, chile […]

 Hallie Clancy

Yellow and Green Cucumbers

Yellow and Green Cucumbers

There are three main varieties of cucumber: slicing, pickling and burpless and we grow 2 of the 3 here at Rancho Delicioso. The cucumber originated over 3,000 years ago in India but now grows on most Continents. With enclosed seed and their development from a flower, botanically speaking, cucumbers are classified as a fruit, though much like […]

 Hallie Clancy

Yuca

Yuca

Yuca is a warm climate root vegetable  also known as Cassava , it shares similarities in both appearance and nutritional content to potatoes. It is the tropical potato, bringing something different to the table! In Central and South America, where it is commonly grown, yucca is used as a carbohydrate side dish. Boiled and fried, […]