The rich volcanic soil of Ecuador is only half the formula according to Pacho.  A man fully wedded to the soil, process, and fertiliser of his organic farm knows a thing or two about what it takes to grow exquisite produce in Ecuador.  Twice a year he opens up his finca in Pifo – out by the Quito Airport – for the curious to come and see the operation and hear him spin his tales of success.

Pacho is a super passionate individual who can talk for hours about the most minute detail of the organic process.  In fact, his favourite topic seems to be the process required to develop the best fertiliser and he talked about that at his huge compost pile for at least an hour the day we were there!  He was one of the first organic producers in Ecuador and still leads training for those trying to emulate his success.

The garden is enormous with rows upon rows of kale, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, fruit trees and more.  All are interspersed with grasses and weeds which help keep the bugs at bay – a nice little tip we picked up.

He brings in local vendors selling jam, bread, pottery, honey, and beer that share his love of the naturally homemade.  It is quite a scene and whilst we couldn’t fully invest the time to learn the inner workings of a compost pile, we came away with a wonderful appreciation for what is possible and the true joys of a natural garden – something that we love to replicate in our own small ways.

Find out more about Pacho’s Finca at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qC5Ig3T4NY

Check out his open house – Casa Abierta opportunity twice a year

Finca Orgánica Chaupi Molino – +593 99 824 00 47