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Working the Earth at Finca Mi Casa
Raíces Director Francisco G. Gómez and volunteer Christina Proxenos working the earth at Finca Mi Casa under the direction of Don Luis Soto. During our visit, we planted a small patch of three varieties of beans for seed saving from some of the…
Visiting Finca Mi Casa
Raíces director and co-founder Francisco G. Gómez visiting Don Luis Soto at Finca Mi Casa to asses the damage and learn how the Raíces Sustainable Disaster Relief Initiative can provide assistance.
Tropical Garlic
Though garlic and onions are difficult crops to grow in tropical environments, Don Luis Soto of Finca Mi Casa has developed methods and seed stock for both that have adapted to tropical climates, producing full sized, organic garlic and onions. The…
The Raíces Crew with the Finca Mi Casa Crew
Don Luis and Doña Carmen Soto of Finca Mi Casa with Raíces Cultural Center co-founders Francisco G. Gómez and Nicole Wines during our Sustainable Disaster Relief Support Exchange Trip in January 2018. Raíces is proud to have provided support to Finca…
Talking with Don Luis Soto
Raíces Cultural Center Director Francisco G. Gómez talking with Don Luis Soto of Finca Mi Casa about the damage his farm suffered during Hurricane María.
Seeds for Puerto Rico Relief
Seeds chosen by Don Luis Soto for planting and saving at Finca Mi Casa as part of the Raíces Sustainable Disaster Relief Support Initiative.
Seed Distribution at Finca Mi Casa
Don Luis Soto of Finca Mi Casa choosing seeds to grow from the donations that were sent with Raíces Cultural Center on our initial Disaster Relief Support Trip.
Raíces Crew at Finca Mi Casa
Raíces Cultural Center Director Francisco G. Gómez and EcoCulture Coordinator Nicole Wines with Don Luis Soto at Finca Mi Casa. During this visit, it was decided that the Raíces Disaster Relief Fund would providing the donation for the remainder of…
Puerto Rican Honeybee
Pollinators were hit especially hard in the months after Hurricane Maria, as the winds and rains left the island with little foliage and almost no flowers. Food for pollinators was scarce for several months. By the time of Raíces Cultural Center’s…
Preparing the Earth For Planting Beans
Don Luis Soto watches over as the Raíces Crew helps prepare a bed for planting beans. This planting was intended for seed saving of three different kinds of bean seeds sent to Puerto Rico to help regenerate a local seed stock. Before planting, the…
Preparing the Earth For Planting Beans
Don Luis and the Raíces crew immediately began preparing earth and planting seeds for a few varieties of beans after Don Luis chose the seed varieties he wanted to grow from the 50 pound box of seeds donated to Raíces by a dozen organic, non-GMO and…
Planting Beans
Raíces Cultural Center Director Francisco G. Gómez planting bean seeds at Finca Mi Casa. The earth was prepared for planting by hand and the seeds will be grown out to be saved and shared.
La Cosecha - The Harvest
As Don Luis tours his home based farm, he harvests fruits and leaves from the plants that are growing for visitors to sample. Three months after Hurricane María devastated the island of Puerto Rico, Don Luis and other small, local farmers already had…
In the Greenhouse
Don Luis explaining what is growing inside the greenhouse area and what has changed on the farm since Hurricane María to Raíces Cultural Center Director Francisco G. Gómez. The plastic roof and repairs to this greenhouse became one of the projects…
Heirloom Tobacco
Don Luis Soto keeps one heirloom tobacco plant in production in his greenhouse in order to save the seeds.
Hand Tools
At Finca Mi Casa, Don Luis Soto only uses hand tools for food production. This helps build the soil instead of destroy and degrade it, protects the life within the soil and keeps the use of fossil fuels on the farm to a minimum.
Hand Tools
The Raíces crew preparing a patch of earth with Don Luis to plant three varieties of beans for seed saving.
Greenhouse Repairs for Finca Mi Casa
While visiting Finca Mi Casa, Raíces crew members assessed the remaining damage and needs on the farm and decided to fund the repair of the greenhouse, which is essential to the growing and seed saving operations at Finca Mi Casa.
Greenhouse Production at Finca Mi Casa
Despite losing the plastic roof and the door to the screened in greenhouse, Don Luis Soto of Finca Mi Casa resumed annual crop production inside his greenhouse almost immediately after Hurricane Maria passed. When the Raíces crew visited in January…
Green House Growing Post-María
The greenhouse at Finca Mi Casa was cleaned up and planted immediately after Hurricane María hit the island of Puerto Rico. Four months later, when the Raíces crew visited the farm, there were vegetables and seeds ready for harvest. The roof of the…
Fresh Plantings at Finca Mi Casa
Freshly planted plots at Finca Mi Casa in Camuy, Puerto Rico. All seeds planted on the farm are open pollinated so they are suitable for seed saving. Don Luis Soto, the owner of Finca Mi Casa is an expert seed saver on the island of Puerto Rico. Many…
Finca Mi Casa
Plots of freshly planted land at Finca Mi Casa. Crops planted here will be for small scale food production, seed saving and supporting local pollinators.
Don Luis Soto
Don Luis Soto preparing a patch of earth for planting beans at his farm Finca Mi Casa in Camuy, Puerto Rico. The heirloom bean seeds planted here were used for seed saving and growing a local seed stock on the island of Puerto Rico.
Don Luis and Doña Carmen Soto - Finca Mi Casa
Don Luis Soto and his wife Doña Carmen live on their farm Finca Mi Casa, in the coastal area of Camuy, Puerto Rico. Don Luis maintains one of the only USDA certified organic farms on the island of Puerto Rico. He is a retired agronomist and in his…
Don Luis and Doña Carmen
Don Luis and Doña Carmen Soto of Finca Mi Casa with some of the sustainable relief supplies they received thanks to donations from our Central NJ Community and a dozen non-GMO, organic and heirloom seed companies.