GOAT BARN ADDITIONS

As our hotel guests and readers of the Monte Azul blog know, the goats at Monte Azul are very dear to our hearts.  Their celebrity has been elevated a bit further with the addition of the “Wall of Fame” and new signage.  As you enter the cabreriza (goat barn) you will see the new Monte Azul cheese sign.  This is a large version of our cheese label.  The sign is approximately 1 meter in diameter so it is impossible to miss and lets you know that you have arrived at the cabreriza. 

Once inside the cabreriza, you will find the “Wall of Fame”.  We have installed photos of each of the goats with their respective names.  This allows our guests to know who is who.  Our guests have really liked this new feature and many photos have been taken of them in front of the all the photos. 

It was quite an event to get all of these photos.  Melissa and I had a goat photo shoot one afternoon.  Each goat was paraded out and got to perform - her moment of papparazzi.  Some of the ladies performed very well and others were not quite as cooperative.  There were many distractions such as fresh grass and bushes to eat.  

Only the adult goats are featured on the “Wall of Fame”.  The goats need to be at least 1 year old before we take their photo.  The goat’s hair color, facial features and markings continue to change until about 1 year of age.  It won’t be long before Margarita, Yipy, Patty and Selma get their day in front of the camera.  Their 1^st birthdays are at the end of October. 

Attached are a few photos of these new installations.  

HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE?

Last night at that studio around 6 PM when I was getting ready to take the dogs out before dinner I spotted and unexpected visitor hanging out on the door frame.  It was a little tree frog.  He was on the inside of the door frame, not the outside.  After saying hello and taking a good at him, I had to wonder how it managed to get inside and how long he had been living in the house before I noticed him. 

Luckily he was in no hurry to leave and I had time to find the camera and take a few photos.  Carlos can home and took him out and put him in the trees in front of the studio.  Take care of yourself little frog and thanks for the visit.  

SURPRISE! AN UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL!

On Friday afternoon around 1 PM we welcomed an unexpected arrival.  Pretty Bettina, the new goat that arrived at Monte Azul in early June, gave birth to a baby boy.  We knew that the goats that we bought in June were pregnant but the previous owner had told us that they had been inseminated at the end of May.  The gestation period for goat is approximately 5 months which would have meant that these goats would have their offspring at the end of October.  Needless to say, the previous owner was incorrect.  Pretty Bettina’s baby came 3 months earlier that we anticipated.

We are very happy to have the new kid.  He is adorable.  He looks just like his mother and is very strong.  He was up and walking around within the first 30 minutes of birth.   He has the very small ears which are a trademark of the La Mancha breed of goats.  Carlos named him Beto.    Usually we do not name or keep the male kids.  However, we have made the decision to keep Beto as a stud goat. 

I have attached a few photos of Beto on his first day at Monte Azul. 

We are now wondering if the other 3 new goats that arrived in June , Roxie, Trixie and Catalina, will really give birth at the end of October, tomorrow or somewhere in between.  I will let you know what happens.  

A FEW PHOTOS FROM MONTE AZUL

Yesterday while working at the studio and walking the dogs, I took a few photos.  I thought I would share them.  Before leaving the studio, the monkeys arrived and were watching me while I sat at my computer.  This is a photo of one of the males checking out the rain downspout at the end of the studio. 

On the walk through the property, I saw a few orchids and a heliconia that were in bloom. 

Then, in the afternoon, the agouti come out in the yard in front of the studio to feast on the guavas that had fallen.  It is guava season and there are plenty of them from which to choose.  I think that she ate 4 of them before disappearing back into the forest. 

If you are observant, you can always find something interesting to see at Monte Azul.

GIGO GOES HOME

As you may recall, in early June we brought 6 new production goats to Monte Azul.  A week later, we also brought in a top quality stud goat.  His name is Gigo.  He is a Saanen stud goat.  Saanen goats are originally from Switzerland and have been bred for high milk production.  These goats are easily recognized by there all white coat.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saanen_goat

Gigo is no excpetion.  He is all white and quite handsome for a goat.  He has rock star looks with his tuft of bangs and long beard.   He is very gentle and has learned to love guavas during his tour of duty at Monte Azul.  He was brought to Monte Azul to impregnate our 8 existing goats which he gladly began the minute he jumped off the truck.  Within 10 minutes he had “performed” with 3 goats. 

It usually only takes one “performance” to get a female goat pregnant.  Just to make sure it worked, the goats are then put back together 18 days later.  If she lets him mount her, it didn’t work the first time.  If she doesn’t let him mount her, she is pregnant. 

The 2^nd  time around, none of our 8 goats would let him near them.  So, we have to assume that we now have 8 more females pregnant.  These ladies should have babies in early November.  We also have the 4 females that arrived in early June that are pregnant and should have babies at the end of October.  I will keep you posted. 

With his work done, Gigo left for home.  We will miss him.   

IF A TREE FALLS….

How does the saying go?  If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around, does it make a sound?  We are in the rainy season in Costa Rica which also means we are in the tree falling season.  That is, if there is such a thing.  The rain forest is an ever evolving entity and one of the most notable changes is when a large tree falls.  This happens more often in the rainy season. 

The rainy season means clear blue sunny skies in the morning with clouds building up in the early afternoon followed by a burst of rain in the late afternoon.   These bursts of heavy rain are quickly absorbed by the forest and an hour after a rain shower it is difficult to tell that it rained at all.  However, these heavy rains saturate the ground quickly and undermine the stability of many large trees because even though the rainforest trees are tall, they tend to have very shallow root systems.

One day last week the rains were accompanied by strong winds which is uncommon.  Usually the rain comes straight down.  The result was many fallen trees.  On the Forest Edge Trail near the Art Studio there was a very large tree that succumbed.  This tree‘s entire root ball pulled out of the ground and the tree leaned to the point of no return. It took everything around it down too. 

The trunk never hit the ground but crossed the trail approximately 5 feet above the trail.  Had it gone all the way to the ground, it would have taken out the bridge and hand rails  too.  We have cut out the section over the trail to make it passable.  The area is very open and sunny now.  This will give new plants and trees the sunlight needed to begin life anew.  In a few months all scars of this event will be unrecognizable with the exception of the tree truck which will take decades to decay. The rain forest never stops changing.  It is an amazing thing to watch.

NEW GOATS ARRIVE!

This week we are very excited to welcome 6 new goats to the Monte Azul family.  Carlos and I realized that we needed to add some new goats to the mix for two reasons.  First, we need to increase our milk production to keep up with the demand for our goat cheeses which includes, chevre, mozzarella, feta and camembert.  Second, we need to get some new blood into our gene pool.  As much as we love our “country” goats, the genetic stock is not up to the same standard as milk production goats.  Each of our plucky little goats gives around 1 liter of milk per day.  Production goats give 2 ½ to 4 liters per day. 

So, Carlos and I headed off in search of new goats.  Like most endeavors in Costa Rica, our search was a very winding and convoluted one.  It is all about asking around and getting phone numbers and lots of leg work.  Our journey led us to Santa Maria de Dota.  This area is famous for coffee and is approximately 2 hours north of Monte Azul.  Here we found a gentleman that has been raising goats for 40 years and had several females that he was willing to sell. 

We bought 2 young females and 4 females that were impregnated before making the trip to Monte Azul . The older females should have the kids at the end of October.  In a week or so, this goat herder will bring his stud goat down to impregnate our other  8 goats.    His stud goat is enormous and is the offspring of a champion.  We are told that it only takes one generation to see a marked improvement in genetics and milk production. 

I have attached a few photos of the new goats.  Like all Monte Azul animals we gave them names.  They are:  Pretty Bettina, Catalina, Trixie, Roxie, Patty and Selma. 

You might wonder why Bettina gets an adjective in her name.  Pretty Bettina is a La Mancha breed.  This breed of goat has very small ears.  Her look can be a bit disconcerting at first so we felt that she needed an extra special name.  Even though she is docile and sweet, her previous owner’s daughter thought that she was ugly and wanted to get rid of her.  We think that she is beautiful  and we are extremely happy to welcome her to our family.  

The other goats are Saanen, the 3 white ones (Catalina, Patty and Selma) and Toggenberg, the 2 brown ones (Trixie and Roxie).  Trixie and Roxie are much more curious than the other goats and have already become the "bad girls" that must constantly be watched.  

A BEAUTIFUL MOTH HAS LANDED

Today on our way back from walking the dogs, Carlos and I noticed a moth on the front gate.  This moth really stood out with its vibrant colors against the dark purple of the gate’s pillar.  We both loved the bright orange fuzzy head and the variety of patterns and colors on the wings.  The moth was about 1 ½ inches long and had a resting wing span of 3 inches.  You never know when you are going to discover an interesting and unusual creature in the rainforest. We wanted to share this one with everyone.  

MURTAS ARE IN SEASON

It is that time of year that the murtas are in season.  I had never heard of murtas until I moved to Chimirol.  It is a fruit that is only available directly from the tree.  You cannot buy them in markets or stores but must be lucky enough to have a tree in your yard.  We are that fortunate.  There are 2 of them near Café Blue – one near the front gate and one near the side entrance. 

The tree grows erect and is very bushy.  It has lots of dark glossy leaves.  Once a year it produces an abundance of fruit.  The fruit is about the size of a blueberry and is dark purple in color.  The meat of the fruit has the taste and texture of a cherry and has a large seed inside, also like a cherry.  It is great to eat the murtas right off the tree.  This year, like last, we are using this fruit to make ice cream and sorbet.  These desserts are delicious and refreshing. 

If you are in the Southern Zone of Costa Rica, stop by Café Blue and try the murta ice cream and sorbet.  Like most of our seasonal fruits and desserts made from them, they won’t last long.  

COSTA RICAN EDELWEISS?????

Is there such a thing as Costa Rican Edelweiss?  I doubt it but I am not sure how else to describe the small flowering plant that our next door neighbors have in front of their house.   It is a small short plant with long thin leaves.  About every 3 months the plant will produce a pinkish white flower on a thin stem.   This plant has a bulb and reproduces quite rapidly.  There is one flower per bulb.  They all flower at the same time and it is very beautiful to see a large group of them.

Our neighbor, Sonia, has planted many of these bulbs in the planters just inside the Monte Azul gate.  Like other bulbs, you simply dig them up and separate the bulbs and replant them.  Unlike other well known bulbs like tulips and crocus, they do not need a cold dormant period and bloom several times a year  They have already started to spread and to flower in our plnaters.  It is very exciting. 

Obviously this plant is not in the edelweiss family because edelweiss is not a bulb and grows at high cold altitudes.  However the look of it and the thought of running through a field of these flowers with our flock of goats brings to mind the movie the Sound of Music and the song Edelweiss.  Maybe I have been out in the country a bit too long. 

COFFEE BLOSSOMS

It is that time of year when the coffee plants at Monte Azul begin to bloom. This flowering season varies by type of coffee plant, altitude and weather. For our small coffee patch, I am not calling it a plantation because this would be a grand exaggeration, we picked the last of our coffee bean about a month ago. This harvest was later this year than in previous years because the rains lasted longer, well into December, and we had a very dry summer season.

But the spring rains have started appearing late in the afternoons and with it has come the waves of coffee blossoms. It is a beautiful site to see the dark green leaves of the coffee branches covered with clusters of white flowers. Then there is the fragrance, the entire area is filled with the sweet scent of these flowers. This aroma is a cross between jasmine and gardenias.

Unfortunately these flowers only last a few days. Then a few days later another wave of flowers appears on different plants. It is amazing to think that it will then take 9-10 months for the small coffee beans to grow and ripen from these flowers. The end result will be another season of Monte Azul’s Organic Quick Monkey Coffee.

EGGS!

We have eggs! The chickens that we purchased the 1^st week of December 2011 have started to lay eggs. On our daily walk with the dogs on Monday, Carlos and I stopped at la granja to see the goats and chickens. Everyone was doing well. We kept walking up the hill and decided to stop on our way back down and get the dogs water.

I stuck my head in to say hello to the chickens again and to my surprise there were 3 eggs. We were both so excited. The eggs were quite small but they were a beautiful sight. I got back home and weighed them. They weighed 35g, 36g and 38g. Eggs in our refrigerator from local egg producers weighed around 72 g. I was told that when chickens begin to lay eggs the eggs start out small and get larger. I guess the chicken has to gradually work its way up to the larger eggs.

The next morning I was very excited to see the chickens and collect all the eggs. I packed a bag with an egg carton and the camera to commemorate the occasion. When I got to the coop there were no eggs and I was disappointed. I also felt a bit foolish to think that there would suddenly be this bounty of eggs.

During the week there have been 5 more eggs. Today there was 1 egg but it is noticably larger. It weighed 58g. Based on their behavior, I think that there are only 2 chickens laying these eggs. I am watching them closely and learning a great deal about them and their habits. I am also learning a bit about patience. I am also looking forward to see what tomorrow will bring.

NEW HIKING TRAIL AT MONTE AZUL

The hiking trail system at Monte Azul was developed during construction of the studio and casitas almost 6 years ago. Over the years the hiking trail system has been expanded and updated to include the organic coffee plantation, organic greenhouse and the new animal barn for the goats and chickens.

One of the more popular attractions on our trails is the large waterfall at the far end of the property. The Valley Trail, Forest Edge Trail and Cacique Trail all make their way to this waterfall. The water runs all year and the surrounding area is magical. The cool mist, the sound of the water and the birds, with dappled sunlight makes for a ethereal spot to sit and relax. It also provides a fantastic backdrop for a photo.

Many guests have asked us what is above the falls and it we have ever been to this upper part of the falls. A few years ago when my friend Chris was visiting from California, she and I became adventurous and scaled the mountainside just to the left of the waterfall, despite the fact that she had recently had back surgery. It was an almost vertical climb and not one that could be descended. We eventually had to find a different way down. This route to the upper falls would not work for our guests.

I am happy to say that we now have a short trail just off the Cacique Trail that allows you to reach the upper section of this fall. The trail drops you at the base of another fall above you. There is a beautiful pool to take a dip and a rock ledge that allows you to sit at the top of the lower waterfall. I have attached a few photos of Carlos and I enjoying this upper area.

As I was sitting there I was wondering how to develop a trail that can get you above this upper waterfall so that others may enjoy it. I will keep you posted.

BABY BIRDS BABY BIRDS

A few days ago Carlos and I decided to take a break and walk a few of the more than 4 kilometers of trails at Monte Azul. It is always interesting to see what is out there and this day did not disappoint. We had just started our walk on the River Trail and decide to spend some time relaxing on a big rock new one of several swimming holes along the river. It is always relaxing and rejuvenating to sit by the river and just think about nothing even if for just a few minutes.

On our way back up to the River Trail I spotted a strange mass on a leaf. At first I thought that it was a large fungus. It was about 3 inches in diameter and was attached to a large vertically hanging leaf.

Upon closer inspection I realized that it was a bird’s nest. And there were 2 very young fuzzy baby birds inside. They still did not have their eyes open. I have never seen such a nest in such a precarious location or constructed in such a manner. The opening of the nest was just slightly angled off of vertical. The 2 occupants seemed to be enjoying the nest and hopefully you will enjoy these photos. I am not sure what type of birds they are but I am guessing by the look of nest and size of the babies that it some type of hummingbird.

I am constantly amazed at how diverse and surprising the rainforest can be. It is nice to be able to simply walk into it and see what awaits. Come take a walk at Monte Azul and discover something new.

NEW DESSERT INTRODUCED AT CAFÉ BLUE

A new dessert is now featured at Café Blue at Monte Azul. It is a Limòn Mesino Cheese Pie. The pie consists of a cookie crumble crust of galletas Maria and butter. Galletas Maria is a very famous cookie in Costa Rica, the equivalent of Graham crackers or Nilla wafers in the USA. The body of the pie is a mixture of homemade goat ricotta, cream cheese, whipped cream and the delicious limôn mesino. Limòn mesino is a large, bright green fruit that doesn’t have seeds. It is similar to a Key Lime but much larger and juicier. It is very easy to grow in the tropics and fruits at an early age and small tree size. Monte Azul has several of these trees and their fruit inspired the creation of this dessert.

The Limòn Mesino Cheese Pie has been a big hit at Café Blue. Last week it was served to a group of 11 from our neighbor’s at Cloudbridge. I am happy to say that all of the plates came back to the kitchen empty. Here are a few photos of Andy and Esteban plating the dessert for our guests. Perhaps you could be the next guest to sample our latest dessert.