Vanilla

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In the past few years, Finca La Amistad has planted 7,000 climbing vanilla orchids in the Pilón trees that are part of the reforestation project. These trees are the host for the vanilla plants. The 7,000 orchids twine up the tree trunks to the top where they open their blooms. For Finca La Amistad, the cultivation of organic vanilla is a multi-faceted project that is in the middle stages of development. In March this year (2013), Alejandro, our friend and a tourist guide for the neighboring Carolina Lodge, discovered the first pod.

As vanilla flowers attract many birds and insects, they constantly help to improve biodiversity. Following the successful pollination of the orchid flowers, vanilla, the world's most expensive spice after saffron, is collected from the fermented pods.