Finca Ecologica
The activities this finca offers are as diverse as its exotic bird population.
Nestled in the back-woods of San Luis, the location of Finca Ecologica is famous for having one of the most diverse populations of birds in all of Costa Rica. Currents of wind blown down from the mountaintops are funneled into this quiet valley and a micro-climate similar to that of the Monteverde Cloud Forest is created. Therefore, birds normally found at higher elevations can also be spotted at this finca, in addition to foreign fowl that use this area as a resting place along their migratory routes to the South.
Other than exotic birds, the Finca is well-known for another uncommon attraction in San Luis -- pizza. Zelmira Leiton owns a popular pizza place called Zelmi's Pizza close the entrance of the family farm. This restaurant is a favorite spot for American students from UGA who are missing the taste of home and for tourists and locals who want to stop by for typical Tico dishes and good conversation. As guests dine, they can admire hummingbirds, flycatchers, and occasional hawks at the bird feeding tables adjacent to the pizzeria.
The family is currently in the process of beautifying the land surrounding their houses and the
restaurant with flower gardens and sustainable vegetable gardens
containing herbs, chiles, carrots, and
grapefruit trees. The brother of Zelmira, Giovani, is the farm's primary manager and he says they use companion planting as often as possible and have only used herbicides once to kill a pesky weed infestation. Now that the weeds are gone, they can once more focus on caring for their crops without the use of chemicals.
La Finca Ecologica enjoys offering diverse activities for their family and visitors to participate in, such as swimming in the waterhole, walking loops in the forest, and camping at the camp ground. Additionally, the family is very excited about the addition of a new tilapia pond that the late husband of the eldest family member, Alica, always dreamed of creating. The farm is also looking forward to hopefully receiving a Blue Ribbon award for ecological mindfulness this year!
"My mother had always owned a little snack shop for tourists coming to hike the trails on our farm. When I took over the business, I expanded the menu to typical Tico food, and soon enough, students from UGA who were missing food from home began to ask if I could try making them pizza. From then on, the pizzas have been the most popular dishes and "Zelmi's Pizza" stuck!"
-Zelmira Leiton