La Cangreja Mountain--Source of Strength for the Mastatal Area

An overlook showing the varied vegetation of the region, with a blooming Roble tree, complements the range of peaks making up La Cangreja: National Park and mountain.

Chepo's Bean Harvest

Back breaking work on the steep slopes of a newly planted palm oil plantation. Chepo has permission to sow and harvest beans for personal use.

Rice for the Planting Should Not be Milled

Saving seed for next year's planting is a time honored tradition and one that maintains a low overhead for subsistence farming.

Home Kitchen

This raised hearth kitchen is tended and used to create meals and hot coffee using three logs and three stones to form the burner area.

Boiling to make Tapa Dulce in Costa Rica

Much like boiling sap for Maple Syrup, Sugar Canes are pressed and the resulting Sugar Cane Juice is boiled down, reducing water content, which then is poured into molds to create hard blocks of Tapa Dulce or brown sugar-like blocks.

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Mastatal–Portrait of a Changing Community

Below are a series of portraits showing facets of a community in Costa Rica. Still rural, this area has a vibrant group of native “ticos” who cultivate and harvest a variety of crops for mostly local consumption. These photographs illustrate only a part of the rich tapestry of individuals in this area. I plan on returning to undertake a project to document all of the 100 individuals in their home or business, which will be edited to create a book that celebrates the lives and livelihoods of residents of Mastatal.