Triple Intercrop in Naturewalk

One of the most interesting intercroppings in Permalife Farms Naturewalk is the combination of teak, ginger and papaya.The teak provides shade for the ginger and papaya, and the ginger and papaya provide regular crops and returns.

This intercrop has been pioneered by Naturewalk and is generating significant interest amongst agricultural colleges, universities and farming organisations.

To find out more about Naturewalk which offers the opportunity to have a home on a magnificent lot with fully managed crops giving you an income from your land, call  USA +1-202-697-9284 or Europe +353-1-272-4184 or e mail info@costaricainvest.ie

Taro in Estancia Montana

Taro growing on lots 8,9,10, 22 and 23 in Estancia Montana, Naturewalk 2:

Naturewalk Vegetable Packing plant

Work continues at the Naturewalk vegetable packaging and cleaning plant. The buildings roof has been raised, the building extended and new flooring installed.

Planting purple tiquisque

Planting purple tiquisque in Permalife farms, Naturewalk 3

Naturewalk Vegetable Washing and Packing Plant

Work continues in the construction of the Naturewalk Farming Company vegetable washing and packing plant

Planting Chinese Vegetables

A test planting of various Chinese vegetables, is being carried out in Naturewalk, Permalife Farms.

The returns on these crops look very attractive, but the test planting will reveal all:

Preparing the ground for planting

Preparing the ground for planting

Preparing the ground for planting

Seedlings for planting

One seedling planted just 10,000 to go

Seedlings in the nursery

Naturewalk, Costa Rica update webinar

Tim Alexander, President of Naturewalk brands, gives an update on progress in Naturewalk during 2013 and provides and insight into the plans for Naturewalk in 2014:

Loading Tiquisque

The days are long for the Naturewalk Farm Company and here they are working late into the evening to get a load of tiquisque out for shipment to Miami.

Weighing Tiquisque

After harvest the tiquisque is cleaned, bagged and weighed prior to sale

Visiting Naturewalk

International buyers from a major multinational retail company visiting Naturewalk to inspect the tiquisque crop and the irrigation reservoirs

Building Agricultural Reservoirs in Naturewalk

As the dry season is upon us, and more and more land is now planted with various crops in Naturewalk irrigation is a necessity to keep crop yields up.

Here are some pictures of some of the agricultural reservoirs under construction in Naturewalk:

Papas Chino (Yampee) and Nampi Intercropped on Permalife Farms, Naturewalk 3

A new intercrop of yampee and nampi is being trialled on Permalife Farms, Naturewalk 3.

Yampee in Permalife Farms, Naturewalk 3

The Papas Chino has sprouted in Permalife farms, Naturewalk 3:

Harvesting tiquisque in Permalife Farms, Naturewalk 3

Tiquisque harvesting begins in Permalife Farms, Naturewalk 3, this week. The first stage of the process is to pick some sample plants to ensure the crop is ready to harvest.

The good news is that it is ready and the yield looks healthy and high.

Harvest starts immediately, closely followed by replanting.

Tiquisque Harvest in Permalife Farms, Naturewalk 3, starts next week

Yampee trellises in Permalife Farms, Naturewalk 3

Yampee (papas chino / yam) trellises completed and awaiting planting in Permalife Farms, Naturewalk 3

Papas Chino in Naturewalk

Yampee

Known as “Papas Chino” in Costa Rica or Yampee is a species of yam called Dioscorea Trifida.  It is a flowering tropical yam. Currently trellises are being installed on some lots in Permalife farms, Naturewalk 3 for planting Papas Chino.

Dioscorea trifida is a species of flowering plant in the family Dioscoreaceae. It is a species of yam (genus Dioscorea). It is native to the Caribbean and Central and South America. Its many common names include Indian yam, cush-cush, and yampee. It is called mapuey in Venezuela, inhame in Brazil, tabena in Colombia, and sacha papa in Peru.

This plant is a vine that can exceed 3 meters in length. One plant produces up to 12 stems, which are lined with several membranous wings. They emerge from roots with tubers of various shape and size, generally up to 20 centimeters long by 8 wide. The leaves are up to 23 to 30 centimeters long with blades divided into pointed lobes and borne on long, winged petioles. Green flowers with six tiny tepals are borne in the axils. The fruit is a winged, lightly hairy capsule up to about 2.7 centimeters long.

This is a cultivated yam species used for food in parts of the Americas, especially South America and some Caribbean nations. The starchy tuber has a thin, smooth skin marked with some cracks. It takes different shapes but is commonly spherical or club-shaped, or shaped like a horse hoof, sometimes with a cleft. It comes in various colors, including white, purple, and black.The crop is cultivated like the potato, but the must be given a strong trellis for support. It is propaged by planting small tubers or tuber chunks. The crop can be harvested in 10 to 11 months.

Yampee trellises

The tuber is cooked for food. It can be baked or boiled. In Venezuela it is mashed or used in soups. In parts of the Caribbean "it is known as the best of the yams". It is a staple food for some indigenous peoples.

The tuber is about 38% starch. It is a waxy starch that lacks amylose and has potential uses as a binder and thickener in food processing.