How did this all come about

   In 1975 I took a trip to Costa Rica with the intentions of finding a piece of property of my own.  I had made several trips to Costa Rica as I was at that time a free lance illustrator and only worked to have periods of time to travel in Latin America.  At that time there was only a seasonal dirt road which connected that 125Km stretch of coast to paved roads.  Living with local people I was generously accommodated by the locals in my search for the perfect property.  At that time the area because of it's inaccessibility was undiscovered and most of the land was acquirable at a very comfortable price.  I was shown many pieces of property until one day a poor homesteader with two daughters and a cat took me up a mountainside to his lookout over the ocean.  I knew at once this was my dream environment so I bought the property on the spot.   I had about six months until my return to the US so I lived in the old hut which was on the property and began to have wood cut with an Alaskan mill for what would be the present kitchen and cabin.

     As I got to know the land I realized that in the future I would need some flatter land to work with so I offered to buy the neighbors larger piece of property on the other side of the stream.  Combining to two properties became what is the finca (ranch) today.   The two pieces of property were divided by the Ballena Creek which is one of the largest mountainside water sheds originating in the area.  The survey measures 69 hectares (170 acres) and borders at the top with national reserve land which cannot be tampered with in any way and physically falls under the control of Heartsong as I am involved in an internationally financed land protection program.  That land which continues to the top is another 200 acres.  I am actually paid $1700 a year to provide the security that the part of the land considered climax forest is not tampered with.  It is one of the last of the major hard access valleys where coastal flora and fauna are provided unique refuge.  On the property not covered under that protection are fruit trees (star fruit, mangos, pineapples, pejeballe, water apples, cashews, mandarins, oranges, lemons, limes, guavas, guanabana etc., etc.  also we have about 5 acres dedicated to pasture for our horse and colt.

     Less then five minutes from the house is a 45 foot waterfall and crystal clear virgin pools to bath in.  As I mentioned the water originates above the property and is pure from a mountain spring

Maps and survey......

     Costa Rica

     The Farm

     Survey