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For Sale by Owner
27-Hectares in remote and picturesque southern central Costa Rica with a medium-sized, high-quality orchard of cacao (Chocolate) trees. Everything you need to sustain an off grid life style and income producing business.
Quick Facts
Location
Near a remote village named Bonanza in Southern Central, Costa Rica. 2-hours south of San Isidro del General and 40-minute drive to the historic town of San Vito with it's shopping centers and one of the best hospitals in Costa Rica.
Price
$410,000
Building Size
Main Cabin:
650 sq. ft. (60 m2)Yoga Studio:
475 sq. ft. (44 m2)Old Farmhouse:
1200 sq. ft. (111 m2)
Lot Size
67 acres (~27 hectares)
Type
Farm Land with Farmhouse(s) and Primary Forest
Unique Characteristics
This is a rare opportunity to own a 67-acre cacao farm, with award-winning cacao trees, many other fruit tree types, pasture for horses and cattle, agricultural land, the original farmhouse, potential home sites for building, virgin forest and spectacular mountain views. It is such a unique and beautiful land with so much potential. Develop a brand and reputation with the heirloom beans. Turn it into a therapeutic destination for chocolate enthusiasts. Ideal for adventuresome homesteaders who may or may not want to start from scratch. Retire here and enjoy a simple life on this abundant land. Or live elsewhere and operate the cacao production from afar, as we did for many years.
The farm has 19 acres of mature cacao trees. The beans have been registered by the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund as “Heirloom Quality and Flavor”. It produces 4,000-6,000 kilograms (9,000 to 13,000 pounds) of dried beans a year.
The virgin forest (8 acres) is incredibly beautiful, with enormous old growth trees and rare tropical birds. A lovely trail winds through it. This is the last remaining protected virgin forest in the area. What's amazing about this forest is the easy access. Normally native forest in Costa Rica is found only on steep slopes with difficult access. To get to our forest you just walk up a small hill.
There are abundant mature tropical fruit trees producing yields of guanabana, avocado, orange, grapefruit, jack fruit, caimito, zapote negro, zapote rosa, limon, banana, platano, café, pineapple, mangosteen, starfruit and about 15 coconut palms. We have additionally planted native hardwood trees for reforestation. There is a mature bamboo plantation of different types of construction bamboo and special bamboo for making instruments.
The balance of the land--about 43 acres--is gently rolling pasture for horses or cattle and agriculture.
The views are stunning, looking out to the Talamanca mountain range. There are several potential home sites with great views of the river valley and the mountains.
The farm is completely off the grid and uses a modest solar power system. Current water supply comes from a pristine spring about a mile away, shared with the neighbors. There are two natural springs on the property, additionally, the water table is very high and it would be easy to dig a well pretty much anywhere on the property. A nearby river (Rio Coto) with great swimming holes is only a 20 minute walk away.
There is a beautiful yoga studio and a cabin with epic views of the Talamanca Mountains. Both the studio and the cabin are made from sustainably harvested local cedar, with eucalyptus and amarillón hardwood floors. There is a flower garden off the deck of the yoga studio which attracts an abundance of hummingbirds and butterflies. The cabin is one very large room with kitchen, living, and sleeping areas, and an outside bathroom. The studio could easily be turned into a small house.
There is also the original farmhouse, which is in need of repair, but has a good foundation, plumbing and a convenient location. It could be ready to live in with a few weeks of TLC. In this working zone, there is also a drying rack and fermentation boxes. The current owners built a wood cabin and separate yoga studio situated as a destination spot overlooking the Talamanca mountains. The cabin is built from sustainably harvested local cedar & eucalyptus with amarillón hardwood floors.
The farm is completely organic, although not certified. The altitude is about 1650 feet, perfect for any type of farming one could imagine. The soil is ideal--everything grows here. This could be a permaculture paradise. The workers on the farm have been there for 15 years. They love the property and have the know-how to grow and process the cacao beans and caretake the other rich produce found on the farm.
Good dirt road access. This farm has several access roads which remain in pristine condition for being so remote. The farm location in Bonanza is remote, yet is only a 40 minute drive to the historic town of San Vito with its shopping centers and one of the best hospitals in Costa Rica.
Here is a blog we created profiling our life, projects, photos and a sense of what it is like living on the land and producing cacao.
FAQ
What utilities are included?
This property is complete off grid. There is a modest amount of water from nearby sources with more that can be tapped. There is also a modest solar-based power system currently operational for basic lighting and intermittent fridge usage.
Can you send me business financials for the past 5 years?
Historically, this farm has not operated as a business but, instead, as a passion project. So there are no financials to share.
That being said, several profit-making activities could be pursued using this property. The cacao plantation, a rental business, chocolate or hiking tours, or agricultural education are just some examples. There is plenty of opportunity for a profitable business.
To provide an idea of the financial potential of the plantation, please consider the following:
There are about 8 hectares of cacao on the farm. The trees are generally healthy but, with some additional TLC, the cacao orchard could be producing at maximum capacity within a few years. The productive capacity of the orchard ranges from 4000-6000 kilograms per year. Reaching 8000 kilograms could even be possible with extra good steward ship of the plantation. Each year is slightly different depending on weather. To get production up to a consistent 6000 kilograms per year, we recommend a 3 to 5-year plan for regenerating some of the trees. To increase yield, new ownership could expand the plantation on the existing property or other local farmers would benefit from a partnership. Production could double overnight if partnerships are organized properly.
We have not sold the beans to buyers directly, but we are told the price can range from $3-7 per kilogram depending on the state of the beans. Good fermenting and drying are key. These trees have been cared for in an organic fashion, winning awards from the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund. So it's quite likely these beans can be sold at a premium capturing the high end of that range or higher. If new ownership is interested in a bean-to-bar operation, even more revenue can be obtained.
The cost of maintaining the plantation in an "as-is" condition is primarily made up of the salaries of the workers. There are currently 2 workers employed for this purpose who could continue their employment under new ownership. The current employees have been working this plantation for about 15 years. They know the whole process and have been trained by experts. The minimum wage for one of these workers is about $6,500 per year + 30-40% for government-mandated workers comp/insurance. This does not include the cost of materials, which is minimal. However, if new ownership is looking to increase the yield, this will require additional labor, equipment, and investment.
Can this farm be operated remotely?
Yes! The current owners have been doing this for years. However, to get good quality and take good care of the whole operation, an onsite manager would be best. Even a part time on site manager would be sufficient.
Can this cacao be exported?
It most certainly can. If the trees and processing facility are built and maintained well, there could be a profit in exporting beans. An initial cost of hiring professional consulting and getting all the paper work done would be necessary to get it off to good footing.
How many parcels are included?
There is one parcel of 29 hectares about 63 acres. The cacao farm, virgin forest, bamboo plantation and old farm house along with some agricultural land can be parceled out and sold separately.
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