Academia Tellus Mater is an education program designed by farmers and researchers to increase awareness of sustainable practices, move towards better environmental management , and support conservation projects. We work with local farmers and visitors in the Agua Buena community.

Our educational ecotourism programs give visitors the opportunity to experience authentic Costa Rican culture, stay with a Costa Rican family, learn about coffee, the rain forest, conservation, and sustainable living practices in a beautiful highland countryside.

The 3-day program includes a homestay with a local family on a typical, small-scale farm, three mornings of educational tours, and a variety of optional afternoon activities.

The three-day program includes:

• 3 days / 4 nights lodging with a local family
• All meals
• Daily activities from 7:00 AM - noon
• Optional afternoon activities

All programs are in Spanish with supporting written material in English. A bilingual guide can be requested.

Day 1.
The story of coffee: from farm to cup
See how the world's second most traded commodity, coffee, is grown and processed by visiting a coffee farm, touring a beneficio (coffee processing plant) and tasting high quality coffee grown in this region in a professional cupping lab. Learn about the fascinating history of coffee, why it is so important to tropical conservation, and how globalization and markets in the first world affect the lives of rural coffee farmers throughout Central America.

Day 2.
Pioneers, frontiers, and sustainability in our world today
Follow in the footsteps of the pioneers that settled Costa Rica's last frontier. Learn how and why the rain forest was cleared, see how traditional crops are planted and grown, and how early settlers built a rustic "rancho" and transformed the landscape.

Afterwards, visit a model agroecological farm and see how local farmers are developing sustainable ways of life.

Day 3.
Rainforest ecology guided forest walk/ Tour a traditional farm and visit an old-style sugar cane mill
Explore the rain forest on a private reserve with an expert local guide. Find out how a rain forest functions, see some of the fascinating and complex relationships of the most diverse system on earth, and learn how researchers and local farmers are working to restore the forest. After a 1-2 hour forest walk, you will visit a traditional sugar cane mill where you can try new recipes for candies and liquors, learn about traditional medicinal plants and remedies, ride in an ox cart, and enjoy a delicious Central American food sampler at scenic Finca Montezora in Agua Buena.

Afternoon Options:
In the afternoons, you can opt to visit the beautiful Wilson Botanical Garden, take dance lessons, learn to prepare delicious typical foods with the local women's group, or simply relax on your homestay family's farm.