Tuesday, September 19, 2023.

The Beekeeping Initiative at Finca La Estancia 

Finca La Estancia is town’s farm, plant nursery, and regenerative agriculture program. It facilitates the community's access to organic vegetables, among other agricultural crops as well as completing Las Catalina's cycle for waste disposal. The farm is graced with abundant fruit trees, native flora, and a thriving bee population. 

Twenty meticulously managed bee boxes, strategically positioned behind the nursery, produce aromatic honey, made available for sale to the local community and visitors alike. Supporting native pollinators is a key aspect of regenerative agriculture. This symbiotic relationship between the bees and the surrounding flora ensures the well-being of both, allowing them to flourish.

The farm also has three boxes of mariola bees. This bee species, Tetragonisca angustula, are one of the approximately sixty species of stingless bees that live in Costa Rica. Mariola bees are exceptional at pollination and produce a low yield of some of the most treasured honey in the world. The flavor is uncommon and has strong antibiotic activity. At one point, mariola bees were common in Guanacaste but were reduced to the point of extinction due to clear-cutting and cattle farming. Farming these bees is a small step in the repopulation process. 

To learn more or purchase honey or hot honey (honey infused with jalapeños) from the farm, simply reach out to town's dedicated concierge or guest services. Finca La Estancia is an experience of the beauty of preserving our natural ecosystem through responsible agriculture.