From Grocery Lines to Living Food Forest

Jul 24

In much of the Western world, food security is measured in days, in other words how long the shelves of a grocery store would last if the supply chain broke. In permaculture, abundance is measured differently. It is counted in the number of fruit trees bending under the weight of ripening harvest, in the scent of herbs carried on the morning breeze, and in the ease of gathering breakfast without stepping foot beyond your own garden.

Picture stepping out your front door into a living pantry. Papayas and mangos hang heavy on branches. Bananas grow in golden clusters. Beneath them, bushes are dotted with passionfruit, guava, and coffee cherries ready to be picked. Your day begins with a plate of fresh tropical fruit, continues with vine ripened avocados and crisp jicama drizzled with lime, and ends with a dessert of dragonfruit and mangosteen, each bite as fresh as the moment you picked it.

At Lega Vera, this vision is not a dream but a design. Using the principles of permaculture, residents can create thriving food forests even on small and manageable parcels. The climate in Panama turns this from a seasonal pleasure into a year round bounty.

Coquira Soil Project has already shown what is possible. While the ranch is renowned for its organic and grass fed beef, the grounds around its B&B and restaurant are a showcase of edible abundance. More than one hundred varieties of trees, shrubs, and plants fill the landscape. Fruits, vegetables, spices, coffee, vanilla, and cacao all grow side by side. It is a place where beauty and productivity are inseparable, where every plant has a purpose, and where the land feeds both body and soul.

For Lega Vera residents, the connection is direct. Coffee can be grown just outside the kitchen. Cacao pods can be harvested with children and turned into homemade chocolate in the afternoon. Kitchen counters can overflow with nutrient rich superfoods grown a few steps away, fueling vibrant health and deeper connection to the land.