Countryside Farm:

Costa Rica Culture and Traditions

At the Countryside Farm our visitors will be able to enjoy an exquisite traditional lunch and intimately get to know our ancestors’ culture and lifestyle. This complements the other historical activities offered here like the making of sweets, vegetable gardens, medicinal plants, henhouses and much more, making this a special stop.

Palenque

This area is a recreation of the old indigenous residences, which even after the Pre-Colombian era were used by rural farmers. This structure has an attic (sleeping place), a thatched roof and wood frame. In general this structure is as close to the original palenques (indigenous dwellings) as possible. Within the palenque one can find different items that the indigenous and rural farmers used in their daily activities, like grinding stones, fireplaces, tiquis (type of container made with jícara rinds), marimbas, sinks, and others. The palenque is an ideal place for visitors to Turu Ba-Ri to learn about our indigenous people’s lifestyle, customs and history. On one side of the palenque, one can find a rustic well, which was necessary in those times to get water. On the other side there is a small coffee plantation which is used to explain the impact that this crop had on Costa Rica’s socioeconomic history.

Trapiche (Sugar Mill)

In this area of the country farm you will find a manual sugar mill as well as a mechanical one made of iron and powered by oxen. There is also a sugarcane plantation on site. When there are large groups present, a task (name of the process and time of work together with all the activities it entails) is frequently performed. This task represents the perfection of the entire process in which processed sugar is made, which generally includes cutting the sugarcane, extracting the juice, cooking the juice and using molds to give the final shape to the famous tapa de dulce (a molasses-like product) and other byproducts such as sobados, melcochas, and other sweets, all of which are faithful representatives of the Costa Rican identity.

Herb Garden

This is a special place for both local and international visitors. Here, they can get to know the properties and importance of a wide range of food plants such as cilantro, green peppers and oregano, among others. Additionally, visitors will learn about the plants’ medicinal uses, knowledge that has been passed down by indigenous and rural farmers. Medicinal plants, in fact, currently make up a branch of modern medicine. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something to cure what’s ailing you.

Organic Vegetable Farm

This is a complete system of sustainable management. Traditional crops are used here, such as rice, corn, peppers, yucca, tiquizque, and others. We only use organic fertilizers, which offer a higher production rate. More importantly, these fertilizers don’t damage or contaminate the environment as agrochemicals do. The reason for having this area like this is to ensure that visitors learn. Additionally, the products cultivated here are used by the complex’s restaurants, greatly enhancing the quality and healthfulness of Turu Ba-Ri Tropical Park’s food.

Religious Mazes

Near by the park’s entrance and the restaurants are mazes with religious origins. These mazes, which symbolize life, are very well known at church entrances in southeastern Europe. As you explore them, you’ll begin to understand the message.

Fun Maze: This is a fun, interesting structure that measures 32×32 (1,024 square meters) made of amapolas (poppies). Here, visitors can put their sense of direction to the test. Within this maze there are 27 ways to get lost. Watch out: if you can’t get out in four minutes or less, you’ll have a refreshing surprise when the sprinklers turn on.