Situated 341 kilometres northwest of Rio de
Janeiro, in the large state of Minas Gerais, lies Fazenda Iracambi. Known by
everyone all around for its acclaimed research center, Iracambi works in
managing natural resources, developing sustainable communities and researching
ecosystems in its very own rainforest.
Covering hundreds of hectares, Iracambi is
half farmland and half rainforest. The research center is located on the edge
of this Atlantic rainforest. The owners of the property, who happen to be my
grandparents, live on a hill in a grand house built by them, almost 20 years
ago. It is a lovely old house, square shaped with a courtyard in the middle. It
is a very environmentally-friendly house; half of the electricity is
hydro-electrically powered and the water all comes from a stream uphill.
Wherever one is on Iracambi, they will
always have a spectacular view. Most of the time the two local mountains,
Grominha and Itajaru, will be visible. Yes, the view of the mountains is
splendid, but the view from on top of the mountains is one hundred times
better! Seeing everywhere within several kilometres’ radius, with grassy hills
on one side and a verdant rainforest on the other.
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| view from the top of the hill overlooking the fazenda |
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| the flower from a banana tree |
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| pineapple-looking plant |
Looking at the farm, one would see the
hills dotted with various farm creatures; goats, cows, sheep and horses. In
sharp contrast to the vivid green, red dusty roads trail along the bottoms of
hills, leading to old style mud farm cottages. Looking at the rainforest, one
would see trees alive with exotic butterflies and birds, and the damp ground
teeming with a frenzied insect activity. A common activity, best done in the
dry season, is walking the trail along the Graminha river. Under the canopy of
the local trees, the Mbauba, one will eventually end up at the famous swimming
spot.
Great! Any time you want a job as Publicity Manager for Iracambi, you're hired!
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