SITE

(from conversation with PATRONATO Engineer Carlos Rojas, 11.14.2008)

While Barrigon consists of six large farms (including Granjo Trapichito) spaced roughly 15 km apart, almost all of the its residents grow something on their land, including yucca, oranges, coffee, bananas, sugarcane, rice, pigs, and chicken, either to be sold at market or bartered for other necessities. The area has no electricity, and fresh water is received via aqueduct.

Several visitor cabins were recently constructed with community assistance on one of the larger farms. Using hand tools and locally obtained materials, each cabin was constructed for roughly $450.

Alejandro Rodriguez has set aside a 3,000 square meter piece of land for his project, along with pine, palm leaves (penca), and corrugated metal. While PATRONATO could provide generators and power tools for construction, it is Alejandro’s and our wish to use only vernacular methods, employing machetes and hand saws to cut, and vegetal ties to fasten.