At Finca Chocolat, rain is usually a welcome guest. It nourishes our cacao trees, fuels the growth of our hardwoods and understory crops, and keeps the landscape vibrant and green. But in Belize, not all storms are created equal.
Recently, a powerful localized thunderstorm—known locally as a Bayama—swept through our region. These sudden storms are known for their intense winds, and while most of the farm was fortunately left untouched, our original pole barn wasn’t so lucky. This structure, which has stood on the property since the 1990s, lost its roof despite the reinforcements we added a few years ago.
We’ve long known this building was nearing the end of its useful life, but we had hoped to get a few more seasons out of it. Still, we’re grateful—no one was injured, and the damage was limited to a facility we already planned to replace.
The rebuilding process will begin soon, and we’re looking forward to creating a new facility that better meets the needs of our expanding operation.
Sometimes, progress starts with letting go of the old. This is just one more step in our ongoing journey to build a resilient, sustainable farm in southern Belize.