Come Listen to the Songs

La Florida is located in the southern Pacific part of Costa Rica. On the map it is easy to find Dominical along the coast, and San Isidro de General inland on the Pan American highway. The exit to to the farm is between these two towns. The dirt road requires a four-wheel drive.

The multiple songs of Las Canciones include water (river, waterfalls, and rain), air (breezes tossing the tallest bamboo shoots, or sending clouds down the valley towards the distant sea), the various sounds of hundreds of birds and insects, storms (thunder and the drum of a tin roof), house musicians (instrumental, voice, recordings, geckos), a dog barking, neighbor cows mooing, children’s shouts, people laughing. Very rarely there are mechanized sounds: a moto, a quad, a truck, a giant weedwacker.

Visitors come to rest, and to connect to the natural world. It is possible to also do concentrated, rarely interrupted work on a project. Las Canciones is a working farm, also housing owner businesses.

Our History

When we first came to the valley in the 1990’s there was no electricity. Several families owned neighboring farms and ranches, and a volunteer program operated out of neighboring permaculture project Pura Suerte. Our first land purchase from one of those families was a property by the school. A small group of friends co-owned it. The very small two bedroom house had even smaller living room and kitchen areas. There was delicious cold running water to the kitchen. Candles and lanterns were the light after the sun went down. The primitive bathroom was away from the house, as was the outdoor cold water shower. We worked hard to improve the house and property, and many fruit trees and construction-grade bamboo were planted.

A second part of the same family farm became available at the end of the road down the mountain. The Wilcox families bought that property and named it Las Canciones (The Songs). The farm had a no entry road, just a muddy cow trail down to a river crossing. It did have rivers, waterfalls, deforested cow pastures, long views down and across the valley to the ocean, and a magnificent mango tree. There are now two homes, the Water House, and the Green house, all with running cold and hot water (heated by propane). There is electricity, and fast internet access.

Both properties had been de-forested and turned to cow grass to run cattle or plant coffee. We implemented a long view reforestation program, planting many acres with pioneer reforestation tree species, re-introducing endangered tree species and planting all those that the animals like to use. The re-jungling of Las Canciones connects a neighboring large reserve to the Path of the Tapir Wildlife Corridor along the river. We also grow bamboo which is used for building by a family construction business.

Accommodations

The Houses

There are two houses, and our families live in both of them. Living quarters are rustic. The open-air upper house has a bamboo ceiling, tin roof, wood walls. The main room serves also as sewing shop, dojo, ping pong center, spa. The simple bedrooms are sleeping spaces with a good bed, desk, shelves. The bathroom is in-house and shared, and the Water House holds the shower, tub and laundry. There is also a slightly larger bedroom in the Water House.

The farm provides fresh fruit (bananas, papayas, pineapples, mangos) and our green house’s organic veggies.

Discover Night Sky: the stars are very near, the cycle of the moon very visible.

There are jungle friends; geckos whose song is more of a croak, visiting beetles, mantis, once a morpho butterfly stayed for part of an afternoon playing with the air currents in the main room.

This is a slower rhythm of life. However, the internet is fast and steady.

There is a full kitchen, or family meals, or a meal service from neighbors.

The Property

We are in the foothills, and at the “end of the road”. This means 55 minutes on a dirt road from Tinamastes, C.R. A four-wheel drive with Low is needed to turn straight down a small hill, cross a mostly friendly river, and then climb the last hill to the houses.

“End of the road” also means no stores. The first part of the property is calmer with the houses; there are food, vanilla and bamboo products growing there. The re-jungled part of the property connects an upper reserve to the Path of the Tapir along the river. There are howler monkeys and other jungle animals, but usually not close to the houses.

Neighboring farms are operated by families who have lived here for several generations. Spanish is the language spoken in the valley.

Things to Do

On the Farm

On the farm one can sit in the gardens or on the porches, reading, writing, and watching the clouds come up or go down the valley. Bird and butterfly watching is a constant activity as they are every where.

The Songs: water, breezes in the bamboo, birds, insects, rain on the tin roof. There are very few mechanized sounds.

The ocean is somewhat visible from the sunset porch on days when no clouds are in the valley.

In the valley

In the valley there are soccer games, sometimes accompanied by town parties with fried chicken and horse races. A neighbor farm is self-sustaining and offers tours. Another neighbor farm houses larger groups.

On the nearby coast is the ecological pioneer farm, Finca Baru, where there are zip lines and jungle walks.

Hiking · walking

There are walks – from calm ones to jungle exploring. There are short hikes on our own land to one of several waterfalls. There are day hikes to Diamonte and Nayuca Falls, two very different experiences. Diamonte is a three tier ribbon falls, and Nayuca is a horseshoe multi-layer falls with the dangerous opportunity to rock jump into a deep pool. You can get part way to both by car, most of the way by horse.

Gardens flower along the road and at the houses.

Massage

We have two first class paid massage therapists who can come to the farm once a week. Couples massage is also an option.

OUR LIFE

We work here: there’s a farm manager on weekdays, a sewing shop in the living room some days, and people designing, running their businesses, writing and studying for long stretches of each day.

Stay with Us

There are a few ways you might experience Las Canciones while staying with us. Please contact us to talk more about the details and share your interest and timing.

Intro to the Natural World

If you have not grown up with the natural world around you, we are willing to be your Virgil, guiding you through what being in a living ecosystem makes possible. The insects live happy, frost-free lives, and come in all sizes and shapes. The wildly different birds (and butterflies) are often only two or three feet away. We have a series of steps, meditations and exercises for you, and journaling is required. To understand more deeply what is being offered please read “I was Blind and Now I See: Healing through the Numinous.”

You pay for your room – not much. We share meal cost and preparation – it’s part of your education. 

We incorporate some ritual work with this learning. You design the rituals with us to accommodate your level of comfort and background. 

You can learn about activities like chapiadora, growing bamboo and bananas, producing food, managing a lot of water. 

“My time at Las Canciones was a delightful mix of work, relaxation and wonder. I spent a month there developing and hosting an online course on the porch overlooking a valley so sublime I sometimes thought it was a dream. Without the distractions of modern life, I was able to be focused and productive, while staying centered and relaxed. Although not far from Dominical and Uvita as the crow flies, the jungle terrain makes getting to the finca an adventure. I remember waking my first night a little afraid and wondered why. On reflection, I realized it was the presence of the truly wild just off the porch that had me in this state. I relaxed back into the comfort of the house and day by day my senses and consciousness expanded. I let some of that wilderness into me. I will never forget my month at Las Canciones. I thought I was going on a retreat, but I really went on a journey of connection.” —Jennifer Lighty, (https://www.aquaodyssey.com/, http://www.journeydance.com/pages/jennifer-lighty)

Creating Together

You bring your own work discipline as you begin or complete a major project in a supportive, creative environment. You pay for your room – not much. You help tend the household (sweeping, sinks, etc.). We can share meal cost and preparation or you can order meals prepared for you by a neighbor for a fee. Conversations about writing or other creative work, sharing the daily work trials and delights, hearing or seeing a short selection are all part of being here. If you are coming to work with us as writers, coaching you as a writer would be a separate fee we would work out in advance depending on what you want to do.

“I have great memories of my stay in Costa Rica. It was a self imposed month long retreat with the goal of starting a new series that would take my work in a new direction. I brought only oil pastels, high-end paper, a sketch book, and a dream dictionary. The concept was to document my dreams each night, work with the symbols the following day, and make drawings derived from the dream research. It was a very successful retreat. I came home with many drawings and ideas that eventually translated in a new series of sculptures. I found the beauty, solitude, unique forest sounds, flora and fauna to be inspirational.” —Susan Aaron Taylor, (http://www.susanaarontaylor.com)

Family, Extended Family and Invited Friends

Our invitation to you is sincere. We hope you’ll come for a few days as it’s hard to get here for an overnight. You might want to stay a longer time – a month or two. We will be together while you are here, sharing housekeeping (minimal), meal expense, prep, and clean up.
There are many uninterrupted hours for resting, healing, working, reading. Most distractions are from the natural world.
We have a small library room with many interesting books.
We make our own entertainment… conversation, games, reading aloud, watching movies…

“The house has an open architecture, with nice views and windows all around. The sounds of the forest, insects, birds, animals, and neighbors are peaceful. Few mechanical sounds are heard. The shirt sleeve and shorts temperatures are very pleasant. There are few troublesome insects, but many interesting ones. Views across the land are expansive. Sunsets from the veranda over the distant Pacific provide a colorful transition to the darkness. Walks around the property provide a variety of plants, grades, water courses, insect life, and challenges. The solitude and fast connectivity provide an easy work environment.” —Terry D., 2020