09-21-2007, 08:24 AM
I visited Bocas Del Toro in Panama which has a very similar climate to Kapoho (right on the ocean, sunnyish with plenty of rain) & there was a huge cacao plantation there that did really well. they made damn tasty chocolate! granted, I originally went to see their pet Ocelot, but came away knowing I could grow my own cacao if I moved to panama
Cat, cacao on my list of things to plant so we'll find out how it does in kapoho soonish
fwiw, I was going to grow coffeein panama too...talked to the owner of a large plantation. with coffee growers the elevation matters a LOT in the quality of the bean. there's some official grading of bean quality depending on the elevation where it's grown, something like over 3000 feet is better quality & fetches a higher price...not sure it the same is true in the cacao industry.
Cat, cacao on my list of things to plant so we'll find out how it does in kapoho soonish fwiw, I was going to grow coffeein panama too...talked to the owner of a large plantation. with coffee growers the elevation matters a LOT in the quality of the bean. there's some official grading of bean quality depending on the elevation where it's grown, something like over 3000 feet is better quality & fetches a higher price...not sure it the same is true in the cacao industry.
* I'd rather fail at happiness than succeed at misery *