Syntropic Farming Course

Syntropic Farming is a farming revolution grown out of Brazil and made famous by Ernst Gotsch and the Life in Syntropy short documentary. Syntropic Farming seeks to cultivate resilient ecosystems that are abundant, financially viable and heal abused land. It asks us, as stewards of the land to live in harmony with nature. It asks that we learn from nature through imitating natural processes in order to produce food. This results in abundant systems which grow healthy soils, sequester carbon, produce a diverse array of yields, regenerate the ecosystem and that don’t require long term external inputs. Syntropic Farming is a holistic approach, working with nature’s processes and the dynamics of ecosystems.

This six day course, taught by Fernando Rebello and Thiago Barbosa will provide students with an introduction to syntropic farming theory, methodology and practice.

This class will leave students with examples of how syn-tropical agriculture is applied to vegetable, fruit, grain, and livestock farming and how these are incorporated into agroforestry systems. The class includes a hands-on component where we will be installing a small syntropic farming demonstration at Rancho Mastatal. No farming experience is necessary.

The course will specifically cover the following topics:

• Introduction to the principles of syntropic agriculture.

• Ecosystem considerations. How do we create syntropic systems according to our climate, soils, water, and vegetation?

• Implementation and management strategies.

• Vegetable production. Patterns and succession of species over time.

• Fruit growing. Staple crops, pruning, stratification strategies, savanna ecosystems and their management.

• Grain production. Combining forest species with grains, spacing, and production perspectives.

• Livestock incorporation.

• The syntropic farming movement and how to get involved.

instructors

Fernando Rebello is an agronomist and biologist and the founder of the Research Center of Syntropic Agriculture. CEPEAS has as the following objectives:

• Develop a simple pedagogy in order to make syntropic agriculture an accessible and affordable solution for farmers around the world.

• Support the found of syntropic farming, Ernst Gotsch, who has trained more than 10,000 farming families in the past 30 years and is now focused on large scale agricultural solutions.

For the past two decades Fernando has been following in the footsteps of Ernst Gotsch, and has been a direct eye witness to the breakthrough technology that is syntropic agriculture. By understanding how the planet works, how forests cycle energy, and the beauty of these processes; he believes it is entirely possible to produce food without agrochemicals, all while enriching these life cycles.

Thiago Gimenez Barbosa is the director of Syntropic Farms in Australia. He is an entrepreneur and a farmer who has been growing food with his great-grandfather and grandparents since childhood. He fell in love with syntropic farming principles in 2014 and since then has been traveling to Brazil regularly to improve his knowledge and skills with Ernst Gotcsh and other teachers and farmers around the country. He facilitates workshops throughout different regions and climates in Australia and helps farmers transition from conventional to regenerative farming practices using syntropic farming principles.

course start and ARRIVAl dates

The class begins at 9 a.m. on April 10.  The night before the class begins, April 9, is included in the cost of the class.

course end and departure dates

The last day of the class is April 15.  The night of April 15 is included in the cost of the class.

COST

Includes all food, lodging and instruction.  

National of Costa Rica: US $550
Legal Resident of Costa Rica (cédula # required): US $650
Other: US $800

Pricing is determined by your legal Costa Rican immigration status.

Your registration, a confirmation from us that there is space in the class and a $200 non-refundable deposit will secure your spot in the course.  You can make your deposit with PayPal below or go to our Payment page for more information and options.

We have partial scholarships available for this class.  Please inquire at info@ranchomastatal.com and/or fill out an application here

LANGUAGE

This class will be taught in English.

ACCOMMODATIONS

All food and lodging is included in the cost of  the course.   Students will stay in the Ranch bunkhouse with options for upgrades.  We provide high quality mattresses, linens and blankets.  Please see our Accommodations page for more information.

Students Should Bring

Students should be prepared to be outside and working. This class will occur during the rainy season. Please bring the following:

• Rain gear

• Rubber boots

• Pruning clippers

• Folding punning saw

• Machete

COURSE PAYMENT

Please see our  Payments page for more information about how to pay.

GETTING TO RANCHO MASTATAL

Please see our Directions page for detailed information on how to get to Rancho Mastatal.

ENROLLMENT

To enroll in the class, please fill out our Online Registration Form.

questions

For more information about this class and Rancho Mastatal please contact us at info@ranchomastatal.com , call us at +506 2200-0920 or text/WhatsApp us at +506 8539-1404.  You can also follow us at:

 http://ranchomastatal.com/ (sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of this page)
https://www.instagram.com/ranchomastatal/
https://www.facebook.com/ranchomastatal