A Uniquely Special Corner in Colombia
On Monday, March 5, I had the pleasure of visiting Farmfolio’s Ganaderia Pietrasanta (GP) in Colombia’s Cordoba department. Along with Farmfolio’s CEO J. Dax Cooke as well as a small group of partners and investors, I flew into the property from the departmental capital city of Monteria. Leaving the small city airport, we saw vast flatlands cut by a winding river and country roads, which create a unique rural landscape. From up above, small mountains covered in teak and other hardwoods as well as roaming cattle are clearly distinguishable amongst the greenish brown colors that characterize the region’s non-rainy season.
A Uniquely Special Corner in Colombia
Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by GP’s key staff members and took in the fresh air of a sunny countryside morning. After having breakfast, we visited the property’s office facilities, which have a stunning view across a pond into fields of organic Malayan dwarf coconut palm trees. A quick overview of Farmfolio’s GP project prepared for our three-hour tour of farm that began by visiting Colombia’s only certified organic green coconut nursery. GP’s coconut nursery is a crucial first step in one of the farm’s main productive activities.
Afterwards, with some on horseback and others in a pickup truck, we began our tour by visiting one of three recently built water reservoirs at the farm. Still empty, we enjoyed a unique perspective of the reservoir as we stood at its bottom and witnessed its great capacity. These new reservoirs will not only ensure that GP has more than enough water year-round, but they will also enrich the farm’s diverse ecosystem. Then, we took a tour through the GP’s teak forest, which is located along the property’s hilly terrain and whose trees are undergoing their seasonal leaf-change. The teak forest represents a key part of the property’s value because it has been growing for years and because the hardwood market in the region is suffering from a severe supply shortage. Even though GP’s teak forests are not yet ready to be harvested in Farmfolio’s own sawmill, the regular thinning schedule, which is part of the forest’s maintenance, yields a significant amount of usable hardwood. Therefore, the teak thinnings are either commercialized or utilized as part of the farm’s operation.
Before taking our lunch break, we also visited some of GP’s coconut palm trees, which range from merely a few weeks to a year and a half in the ground. These plants are growing quickly, some already nine feet high, and are expected to be yielding green coconuts as soon as next year. After a delicious lunch, we had one last terrain outing to GP’s cattle section, which currently has almost 300 head of cattle. The grass-fed cattle are divided into five plots that are themselves divided into sections, which facilitate a daily rotation for maximum weight gains per head of cattle. In the evening, I enjoyed a beautiful view as the sun set over GP’s teak forest.
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