We went to Corso Lecheria, a dairy farm near Poasito on the way to Poas Volcano. Actually, it is far more then just a dairy farm - they grow strawberries, practice reforestation, experiment with different crops and so on. They also offer tours which are very interesting and you get to interact with the cows! They have hundreds of hectares and about 800 to 900 dairy cows, all Jerseys I assume.
Where did all the men come from? Well, there was Lance of course and then a busload of men from a church group arrived for our 0900 tour - so I was the only lady - an enjoyable situation to be in. One dad brought his little boy and he was doted on. I said to Lance, that kid is only three years old and has better Spanish then I do.
We ate breakfast at the restaurant on the grounds - La Antigua - it opens at 0800. I ordered the desayuno criollo (typical Costa Rican food) and Lance had the desayuno americano. At the checkout, there are coolers to buy Jersey milk, cheeses and freezers for the ice cream they make. Also eggs from their hens and their various artisanal breads.
At an elevation of 10,000 feet it is cool up there so jackets/sweaters are recommended. Our guide, Jonathon (bilingual by the way), pointed out that we were very fortunate this day because the sun was shining. This is cloud forest country and it can be socked in with rain and clouds. Corso Lecheria lies between Poas Volcano and Barva Volcano Diary farms all over, incredible views, contented cows lying in waving green grass. I could be tempted to live in this area if it wasn’t for the weather. Dairy cows do well at this altitude because of the cool temperatures.
Walkway to restaurant:
Some of their beautiful hens near the restaurant. A great life, not penned up all the time.
Looking down from the restaurant to the parking lot where you get the tour. Hydrangeas grow very well here.
Here’s where you buy your tickets. I had made the reservations earlier in the week via email.
Price for the tour was 6,000 colones each (about $10 USD). I believe if you are a foreigner and not a national or a legal resident, the cost is higher. We climbed aboard a wagon pulled by a tractor. This is how you travel around to the different “stations” - a dairy barn, a forest, the strawberry greenhouse and so on. There are twenty seats inside and plastic can be rolled down in case of rain. No shocks on this baby!
Off we went to a dairy barn to see the beautiful Jerseys. This is Rosita. I was able to try my hand at milking her but I think she got irritated!
After eating, these ladies were sent back out to pasture.
I was able to visit the calves. These ones are a cross between Jersey and Angus, so bred for meat.
Cows! Oh boy!
Lance with Princesa in the background:
Next ride on the wagon took us to a forest walk. Jonathon pointed out so many interesting things that we probably would not have noticed. He identified trees and explained the symbiotic relationship between trees, birds, plants and insects. We even learned how to tell if water in a stream is good and not stagnant. It’s an easy walk.
Then off to one of the strawberry greenhouses. How do they pollinate the plants? They buy boxes of male bees and release them. No females because they don’t want a hive to be started.
Back to where we started - a tasting of the cheeses they make and the strawberries they grow. Sorry for the blurry photo but you get the idea. They were all excellent.
When the tour was over, I walked back up to the restaurant and bought Jersey milk, two types of cheese, bread and eggs - all products of the farm. Did you know Jersey milk has an average butterfat content of 5%? It is very rich and creamy. The cheese is cheddar at the front and chili behind. Excellent ciabatta bread.
Lucky us - Corso Lecheria has an off site outlet in our town of Grecia - it’s the only one in Costa Rica. So now I can buy their products right where we live.
The drive home was spectacular - the views unbelievable. A word to the wise: we use Waze to navigate here a lot. There is no way we could find our way through so many areas even when we are familiar with them. No street signs - do we turn left, right, go straight ahead?
View from the drive home:
We had a great morning and highly recommend the Corso Lecheria tour.
4 comments:
Looks like a beautiful place to be on such an occasion. Happy Birthday Diana!
Thank you, Bobbi!
Feliz Compleanos, mi amiga! Belated, but no less sincere :-). What a perfect way to spend your day! You could name this post: Of Cows and Men (No offense, John Steinbeck!)
Thanks, Lynda! That’s a great title.
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