Arrival at the Retreat

My journey being complete, I arrived at the Rainforest Retreat expecting no less than a full-on jungle paradise. I wanted to be so overwhelmed by the colour green that I forgot any other colours even existed. I wanted to fall asleep to the sound of countless bugs chirping away and wake up to the sun sneaking through the cracks in the canopy. And for all intents and purposes, I was not dissapointed.
I should note that the Rainforest Retreat is not technically located in a jungle. It is located in a Rainforest (a “shola” rainforest to be exact). To my eyes however, it is a jungle. I am not going to sit here and act like I’ve got a wealth of experience when it comes to identifying jungles, however what I will say is that compared to every single other place I have ever been, this is the most jungle-like of them all. If I were to shoot a movie called “Danny in the Jungle”, most people would probably not say “That’s not a jungle that’s a shola rainforest” and give my movie negative reviews for a lack of integrity. So in defense of this blog’s title, I would challenge anybody who denies my new home’s junglehood to explain the difference to me.
The property is stunningly beautiful. The plantation uses a thick ground cover of weeds and shrubs to protect against run-off in the rainy season and provide habitats for predatory insect populations. The entire property is also covered in a heavy canopy that protects from heavy rains and sun. This gives the illusion of being in a thick rainforest, even while you walk through thick crops of cardamom and coffee. I should note that this illusion is not accidental, as maintaining the rainforest’s ecosystem is central to the farm’s mission statement. By maintaining a rainforest ecosystem’s biodiversity, the farm is able to use the natural balance that occurs in this environment to regulate pest populations and maintain a healthy soil.
In terms of being eco-friendly and sustainable, the Mojo Plantation and Rainforest Retreat is unrivalled in my experiences. The very first thing I did once I had met my bosses was go to my bathroom for a well-deserved shower. It had been explained to me that my hot water was solar-powered. It had also been explained to me that the rainy season was not quite over. However, somehow I hadn’t managed to put two and two together and realize that this meant I wouldn’t be getting very much hot water. Literally every single form of power is generated from solar energy in my room. This is admittedly not a particularly huge amount of energy, as all I have are three small wall-lights and a tap for hot water, but it is impressive nonetheless. The fact that 15 people are able to live on the plantation, and not one of them uses any external energy sources is pretty remarkable.
Energy is not created only through solar-panels either. The gas used in the kitchen is exclusively generated from the methane gas of cow dung. The cow dung is collected and deposited in a large cylindrical shaped container that is mostly below ground. The methane gas is naturally released from the cow dung and rises through a hose into the kitchen’s appliances. Between the solar-powered guest and staff-houses, as well as the kitchen’s reliance on methane gas, it seems to me that the Rainforest Retreat comes as close as possible to it’s promise of being entirely sustainable. I do not know how practical these solutions would be for Canada (in particular solar, where we receive very little sunlight in the winter months) but it has certainly demonstrated to me that energy-technologies can and should be used on a small scale. The technologies exist, and it is simply a matter of time before they become affordable.
Ultimately my first day at the Rainforest Retreat has been breathtaking. The plantation balances new technologies (energy) with traditional agricultural practices and has managed to create a farm and retreat where external inputs are virtually unnecessary. I’ll be uploading a batch of photos soon, and I know that this first post comes across as a tourist brochure for the retreat, but it is impossible not to be enthusiastic. My next post will focus more on the agricultural side of the farm, and the practices that make this place be truly “organic”.