#4: The Gardens at Ritmo del Río

From Pasture to Paradise: The Gardens at Ritmo del Río

When we first started planting at Ritmo del Río back in 2013, we had big dreams but very little experience—especially with tropical agriculture. Nestled in a region with heavy rains, intense seasons, and sticky clay soil, we faced a tough time getting started. We started with fruit, nut, and hardwood trees, many of which still stand today, giving shade and some harvests to this day. But at that time, agriculture wasn’t our main focus.

That began to change during the pandemic.

Like the rest of the world, our project was put on hold, and we were forced to reevaluate everything. For years, we had relied almost entirely on tourism to support Ritmo del Río. The uncertainty made us pause and ask ourselves: What would it look like to be more self-sufficient? What would happen if tourism stops again? From those questions, a seed was planted—and we started the farm.

We began turning Ritmo del Río into a functional organic farm.

It started with just a few garden beds. Little by little, we’ve transformed what used to be an old cattle farm into a productive vegetable garden. It’s still a work in progress, but every year the farm continues growing.

Today, we grow a wide range of vegetables including lettuce, chili peppers, tomatoes, carrots, onions, yuca, beans, cucumber, squash, basil, medicinal herbs, flor de Jamaica, and more. These ingredients go straight from the garden to our farm-to-table kitchen, nourishing our guests and team alike.

We're also producing eggs, chickens, and fish, not just for the restaurant but for the team of employees who works and live at Ritmo del Río.

Our fruit trees are thriving as well—our small food forest is bursting with variety:
Guavas, citrus, guanábana, cherimoya, papaya, banana, plantain, mangosteen, macadamia, pineapples, and the magical dulcifico are just a few of the fruits you'll find growing here.

We’ve even started growing food for our chickens—four different crops that we ferment into a probiotic-rich feed, mixed with leftovers from the kitchen. It’s all part of creating a closed-loop system that supports happy, healthy animals and a more sustainable ecosystem. Our chickens also enjoy a rotating pasture system, giving them fresh forage and space to roam.

As for our fish farm, it’s just getting started! Right now, we’re producing enough to feed ourselves, but we have dreams of expanding this too in the future.

A huge part of this transformation has been made possible thanks to Leo, our organic agriculture teacher. Leo has helped us set up the gardens, build our biofábrica (where we make natural fertilizers and microbial solutions), and come up with creative ways to reduce our environmental impact. He’s shared his wisdom with hundreds of travelers, as well as our team and local community here in San Rafael.

The gardens at Ritmo del Río are more than just a food source—they’re a space of learning, experimentation, and growth in every sense of the word.

Interested in getting your hands dirty and learning about organic agriculture firsthand?
Check out our Volunteer Spanish Program where you can work in the gardens, connect with the land, and practice Spanish in a meaningful, hands-on way.