Evening light across BuenaVida’s meadow and forested hills

Santa Elena · Costa Rica

Every change
has a story.

What we noticed, what we tried, and what happened next. Follow a demo garden cycle, explore the records behind it, then start a journal for your own land.

Property archive · The early landscape

Demo garden journal

01 / Garden journal · 20 July–31 August 2026

The harvest was smaller.
The picture was clearer.

Eighteen lettuce starts in Bed 01. Six weeks to follow what happened. This example shows how a planting, a field note, a task, and a harvest can become one useful story.

The real forest edge and meadow at BuenaVida, from the early property archive — BuenaVida · From our property archive

SoilJournal / Sample planting record

Bed 01 · Lettuce

Planted: 20 July 2026
Quantity: 18 starts
Expected yield: 5.4 kg
Actual yield: 4.2 kg
Finished: 31 August 2026
Against the plan: 1.2 kg below

Sample planting record

27 July 2026
What we noticed
Leaves drooped in the afternoon. The bed surface felt dry. The note was specific to Bed 01; it did not turn one observation into a conclusion about the whole garden.
27 July 2026
What we recorded in SoilJournal
A field note linked to the bed and planting, plus an illustrative manual soil-moisture reading of 18%. A task captured the next action and a date for coming back.
28 July 2026
What we did
Ana added mulch and moved watering earlier. Luis took the follow-up task for 4 August. The care task was marked done; the follow-up stayed open.
4–31 August 2026
What happened
The follow-up noted less afternoon wilt and a sample reading of 24%. At harvest, 4.2 kg came in against a 5.4 kg plan. The next trial will compare afternoon shade.
Next growing cycle
What we’ll change next
Try an afternoon-shaded bed alongside this one, keep the planting quantity comparable, and record both harvests. Keep the original result so the next decision has something to build on.

Explore the connected records ↗Track your first planting ↗

In your workspace: Plants → add a planting; Insights → add a dated observation; Tasks → link the work to the planting or land area. Sign-in is required for your saved records.

Now

The main house is under construction.

Next

Shared spaces, dependable systems, and productive gardens.

Then

A volunteer village, wellness stays, and a growing platform.

Same garden. More of the picture.

The work around the growing.

Follow water, equipment, crew, and costs through the same demo season.

A dry bed gets a return visit.

Demo story

Water / Manual readings

What we noticed
In the demo, Bed 01 shows afternoon wilt on 27 July. A manual moisture reading is 18%.
What we recorded in SoilJournal
Land area: Bed 01. Dated soil-moisture readings: 18% on 27 July and 24% on 4 August. A field note keeps the conditions beside each number.
What we did
Add mulch, move watering earlier, and schedule a return visit for 4 August.
What happened
The follow-up records less wilt and a higher reading. Next, compare the same bed through another growing cycle.
What we’ll change next
Take readings at a consistent time and depth, note the weather, and compare the next cycle before changing the wider watering plan.

Map your land ↗Read the garden story ↗

The pump has a history now.

Demo story

Belongings / Purchase to upkeep

What we noticed
In this demo, the transfer pump needs attention before the next garden watering round.
What we recorded in SoilJournal
A pump belonging links its location, a care task, and a repair cost. The cost starts as a $60 plan; the payment is recorded separately as $50.
What we did
Arrange the repair, record the $50 payment on 29 July, and mark the repair task complete.
What happened
The demo pump returns to Ready. The payment is $10 below the repair plan, and a maintenance date remains visible.
What we’ll change next
Review its condition on 29 August and keep the service note with the item. The next person can see what was done.

Organize your property ↗Read the garden story ↗

One task, two people, no lost handoff.

Demo story

Crew / Shared work

What we noticed
The demo bed needs mulch and a follow-up. Saying “someone should check it” leaves the work without an owner.
What we recorded in SoilJournal
Ana and Luis share the farm workspace. Ana takes the mulch task; Luis takes the follow-up, both linked to Bed 01.
What we did
Ana completes the care task on 28 July. Luis returns on 4 August and adds a dated observation.
What happened
The action and the follow-up are both accounted for. The journal shows what changed after the work, not just a checked box.
What we’ll change next
Use the harvest review to agree who will prepare and observe the next trial bed.

Bring your crew together ↗Read the garden story ↗

A budget meets the receipts.

Demo story

Costs / July 2026

What we noticed
The demo garden has a $120 July budget. Seedlings, compost, mulch, and a pump repair all need a place in the plan.
What we recorded in SoilJournal
Planned: seedlings $18, compost $24, mulch $18, repair $60. Paid: $18, $24, $16, and $50. Amounts in USD.
What we did
Record each payment against its cost plan, so a paid bill does not remain outstanding as another forecast cost.
What happened
The demo records $108 paid against $120 planned: $12 under budget. The remaining $12 stays available for the next job.
What we’ll change next
Review the next month’s recurring costs separately. Keep the budget, planned spending, and actual payments visible together.

Plan your homestead costs ↗Read the garden story ↗

Chapter 00 / Getting to know the land

Before the buildings.
The place that drew us here.

Most of these photographs come from when we bought the land. Open pasture, forest edges, large stones, and water already shaped the place. These early views are the beginning of our development notebook.

An open, sunlit meadow with scattered stones and forested hills — 01 / Open groundThe meadow as we first came to know it.

A shaded view from existing trees toward the grassland — 02 / Existing shadeLooking out from the forest edge.

Large boulders and young trees set within green pasture — 03 / The land’s own structureStone, slope, and established trees.

A pond reflecting clouds in the middle of the grassy landscape — 04 / Finding the waterStill water, grass, and a changing sky.

A family walk through the tall grass, with misty forested hills behind — 05 / First walksGetting to know the place together.

People resting on a large river boulder beside flowing water and forest — 06 / Down by the riverTime beside the Peñas Blancas.

River water and rounded boulders beneath overhanging foliage — 07 / Forest and flowThe river from the shade of its banks.

Warm evening clouds above the green slopes — 08 / Another kind of lightThe same landscape, a different mood.

Observe and interact: how these first impressions shape the plan

One chapter at a time

01 / Under construction
The family home
Our first foundation for daily life on the land.
02 / Planned
Gardens & shared spaces
Productive growing areas, the common building, and a movement gazebo.
03 / Planned
The learning village
Volunteer cabins and a communal kitchen for small learning stays.
04 / Planned
The river retreat
A quieter wellness area, sauna, and practitioner-led experiences.

The learning village / A future vision

Growing into the landscape.

Connected cabins, a shared kitchen, and paths that follow the hillside and creek. A small footbridge links the gardens, with jackfruit, breadfruit, bananas, papayas, palms, and flowering shrubs along the way.

The original open pasture, boulders, and forest before development — Original property photograph and an artist’s vision of the future. Drag across the image or use the slider’s arrow keys to explore.

Future village with connected cabins, a communal kitchen, contour paths, and a tropical food forest — Original property photograph and an artist’s vision of the future. Drag across the image or use the slider’s arrow keys to explore.

The chapter we are in

The main house is taking shape with metal frames, a wood exterior, teak floors, and laurel walls. Alongside construction, we are getting to know the land and building the tools we will use to care for it.

The next real chapter

The house is under construction. As dated project records become available, we’ll publish updates in the same five-part format as the demo: what we noticed, recorded, did, saw, and will change next. The archive photographs below come mostly from the land-purchase period.