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They have me at goats. If there is a chance to have humane, non-exploitative, animal interaction, I am there. Therefore, the opportunity to participate in a Frutos del Guacabo Farm Tour, in Puerto Rico, thrills me.
This Tour was hosted by Frutos del Guacabo
If you are on social media, I’m sure you have scrolled past a picture of a snappily dressed person, standing in the middle of a sunflower, lavender, or tulip field. Agritourism (Farm Tourism) is on the rise. From flower farms, to pick-your-own fruit, to wineries, to picnics with alpacas, people are farm curious. Small farms quench that curiosity, by providing tours to educate, and provide supplemental income.
The Fruit
Our Frutos del Guacabo Farm Tour, starts with fruit. Not just any fruit. Our bowls are a vibrant rainbow.
The flavors pop and wake up our morning pallets. There is also a choice between fresh passion fruit juice and limeade. The juices are available to us for the whole day.
Carlos is our farm guide. He begins by giving us an overview of the farm. They primarily grow items that are sold to local restaurants. Restaurants that understand the importance of using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Restaurants that are passionate about providing healthy, sustainably grown, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and cheeses.
The Frutos del Guacabo Farm Tour is used as an educational tool. The farm often has school groups at the farm. Carlos once asked a group of school kids,
“Where does lettuce comes from?”
The kids answered, “Walmart.”
Carlos emphasizes a need to teach younger generations, about where food comes from. To give them an understanding of farming, and organic, sustainable, practices in farming. The goal is to keep the food growing cycle continuing, because, no farmers, no farms, no food.
Outside Garden
Juice sipped, Carlos continues our Frutos del Guacabo Farm Tour, by walking us through the outside garden.
We are introduced to a variety of herbs. It’s a sensory experience as we are encouraged to smell and at times taste the just-picked herbs. The culantro intrigues me. The leaves are spongier and chewier, than its paper thin cousin, cilantro. Culantro also has a stronger burst of flavor.
A gardening geek, I’m all attention, as Carlos describes the farm’s planting, plant care, and harvesting methods. I’m aware of plants used to repel pests, but Carlos shows us plants they use to distract pests. Yummy, bug snacks, are planted in the garden. The bugs eat the snacking plants, and leave the sellable plants alone. Brilliant.
As we hold Butterfly Pea flowers in our hands, a staff approaches with a tray. This is the yogurt tasting part of our Frutos del Guacabo Farm Tour.
The fresh, goat’s milk, yogurt, sits atop pineapple, and is sprinkled with toasted passionfruit seeds. I’m in love with the crunchy, nutty, toasted passion fruit seeds. Carlos explains that they are always trying ways to use more of what they grow, and waste less. That is what gave birth to the idea for toasting the passion fruit seeds, and using them as a topping.
Snack Break
Yogurt consumed, and more plants explored, it’s time for a snack break. Our Frutos del Guacabo Farm Tour group, is greeted with a scrumptious array of farm-made jams, fresh goat cheese and feta, beans, and beets.
Instead of crackers, there is a bowl of blue tortilla chips to use as tasting vehicles. I try everything, and it is all delicious. The goat cheese is tangy and smooth, and matches perfectly with the beets and jams.
Hydroponics
On to the greenhouses and hydroponics. Full truth, my first introduction to hydroponics, was the Living with The Land ride, in Epcot. I’ve been intrigued ever since, so seeing fully working hydroponics, during our Frutos del Guacabo Farm Tour, is inspiring. It’s a labor of love. A variety of greens are planted in the same holes, so they can be harvested and placed right into a bowl for salad.
No picking greens separately, then mixing them together.
Hydroponics is gaining popularity as a growing method, especially in urban areas, where land for growing is at a minimum.
Edible Flowers
Frutos del Guacabo is the area’s most prolific supplier of edible flowers. We sample flowers throughout the tour. Their tastes are spicy and herby.
Carlos invites/dares us to try a lemon drop. I recognize this plant. It’s also called the Szechuan button/buzz button plant. If you’ve been to Oga’s Cantina in Galaxy’s Edge, at Disney, this is the plant used to make the mouth-numbing foam, on the Fuzzy Tauntaun drink. This farm grows the buttons for eateries to use as a pallet cleanser. Since I enjoy the Fuzzy Tauntaun, I’m game to try a whole button.
The overall taste is like eating a dime covered in pepper. My mouth is a tingle. A tsunami of saliva fills my cheeks. Pallet cleansed. Due to my auto-immune disorders, I have chronic dry mouth. It’s basically a desert with teeth and tongue. I take a medication that triggers the same reaction as the Szechuan button, but the plant does it better. I’m the only one in our group, who gives the yellow morsel a thumbs up.
The Goats
The goats happily greet us as we approach. They are friendly. My heart is giddy as I give their heads a scratch.
My favorite goat sports a fancy beard, and curly antlers.
Pablo is introduced as the farm’s goat milker. After a brief, but thorough tutorial, we are ready to milk.
I am all enthusiasm, my only concern is to not upset Christina (the goat we are milking). If Christina is annoyed at a bunch of newbs trying to milk her, instead of expert, Pablo, she doesn’t let us know.
She contentedly munches her food, patiently waiting for each group member to take a turn.
Lunch
The farm has a nice clean restroom, and it also has an outdoor, handwashing station. You can pet goats to your heart’s content, then wash your hands before eating.
Our Frutos del Guacabo Farm Tour group, settles down on our hay bale seats.
Our first course, a salad of fresh greens with gazpacho dressing. Greens always taste best when you just witnessed them growing a half- hour before.
The next course is plantain soup with taro chips. The soup is rich and creamy.
For our main course, we are served stuffed eggplant with bread fruit. If I’m visiting a vegetarian or vegan forward eatery, I don’t want to eat the same things I could get at any restaurant, just made with plant-based meat. I want to be dazzled by vegetables. Frutos del Guacabo’s stuffed eggplant, dazzles.
There are oooos and ahhhhs, as the bowls are set on the table. One of the best parts about a farm-to-table meal, are the colors. Frutos del Guacabo’s dishes are even prettier, with the addition of edible flowers. The eggplant and vegetables are tender, but not mushy. The dish is seasoned well. It’s one of the best vegetarian dishes I have ever eaten.
Dessert is crème brule, topped with an edible flower.
While eating lunch, farm owner, Efren Robles, stops by to say hello and inquire how we are enjoying the farm.
Our final stop, is the farm shop, where you can purchase a variety of farm-made and farm-adjacent treats.
During our trip to Hawaii, we toured two coffee farms, a pineapple farm, and a macadamia nut farm. In New Jersey, we’ve visited a beach plum farm and an alpaca farm. I am officially an Agritourism enthusiast.
At Frutos del Guacabo, the goats are friendly, the food is fantastic, and best of all, you get to see and understand, exactly where the things you are putting in your body come from. If you are visiting Puerto Rico, be sure to contact them to book a tour and lunch (they are closed on Sunday). It’s an experience not to be missed.
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