Cacao, The Village, and the Scientific Method

Hello again friends and family,

Today was our first full day at Finca la Anita, and all of us very much enjoyed the day!  We began our day with freshly prepared breakfast: eggs, rice and beans, fruit, toast, and juice.  After breakfast, we went on a tour of the farm and learned about the crops here such as cacao, plantains, and starfruit.  We even got to pick some fresh off of a tree and try it.  When we returned to the resort we got to try many types of homemade chocolate, making today a great day for chocolate lovers!  We tried a form of hot chocolate made right before our eyes as well as other types of barred chocolate that had different percentages of cacao.  We then walked into town to see where the Costa Rican people live.  On our way back we handpicked some vegetables to make a salad to be served with yucca chips.  This was a hit!  We finished our delicious roast beef lunch and were served some of the best handmade churros most of us have ever tasted.  We were also given fresh chocolate to dip our churros in. 

Finca la Anita has many animals that belong to the owners including two dogs named Bombay and Negro.  One cabin in particular bonded with the dogs, and now the dogs like to sleep on their deck even when they are not outside to pet them.  Also, there are two horses here named Relampago and Trueno.  Obviously, Alley very much enjoys petting and taking photos with these horses.  Being around these animals has made this feel more like home. 

For the next few hours we were given the opportunity to explore nature, walk into town, or take a nap in our cabins.  The people who explored talked about how beautiful our surroundings were.  The group that went into town tried handmade ice cream, popular candy in the region and met/talked with some locals.  Those who took naps felt rejuvenated after our long day of travel yesterday. 

After our free period we had a few hours of classroom time before dinner.  We began our first science experiment by getting a feel for the materials here at Finca la Anita.  We reviewed the Scientific Method and got to work.  Tomorrow we plan to follow up on our work and see if we predicted correctly.  For dinner we ate local, organic chicken with an assortment of vegetables.  We were treated with a cookie for dessert.  The last thing we did today was watch two scientific movies, one even featuring our teacher, Adrian Pinto from the University of Costa Rica. 

We are now all returning to our cabins to say goodnight to the rainforest for today, but all excited for our exciting hikes into the wilderness to gather our data. 

Side Note: While writing this blog, a large bird about the size of a Chihuahua seemed to have gotten confused and and flown in the area with the tables and chairs and faces.  All authors survived the treacherous event. J

We all love and miss our friends and families and are sending Pura Vida your way (Pura Vida is a common saying in Costa Rica that the locals use for generally positive or happy things such as moods, description of good food, and greetings.

Sincerely,

The Ant Farm J

Blog written by: Bergen, Ellie, and the bird.

Finca La Anita, Colonia la Libertad, Costa Rica

Passing around a cacao pod

We tasted raw cacao beans

Interior of cacao pod

Interior of Cacao Bean

Learning about Costa Rica and Cacao

Tasting Roasted Cacao Beans/Nibs

Tasting ground cacao nibs, sugar, warm water, fresh vanilla

Liquid chocolate treat

Solid chocolate treats

Fresh Churros and chocolate with lunch

Dr. Adrian Pinto joined us this afternoon. We have research groups and are conducting experiments.

COSO-The Colony of Super Organisms

Equipo Relampago

The Ant Fam

The Lurkin' Jaguars