Through my work as a nature photographer, I discovered Almada Farm in the spring of 2012. This trip would change my life forever. I not only succumbed to the beauty of this magical place, but found the love of my life, Juliana – the owner of the farm. Today it is our small family’s task to direct the fate of Almada, and along with maintaining cocoa production, to try to keep the centuries old culture alive and maintain its natural habitat.

My wife’s family founded the farm in 1855. At that time in the immense country of Brazil, the population was low and the natural habitat was seemingly endless. Cocoa cultivation made farmers very wealthy. But then came the great collapse: world prices crashed and a devastating fungus was introduced in the region which wiped out harvests in the cacao groves.

Many of the farmers could not cope with the devastation. They sold their farms, changed over to cattle, or even found a way out with suicide. Almada Farm was not spared from these problems. For many years, the subsistence level was not secured.
These days it’s climate change that threatens the crops with lack of rainfall and severe storms. But Almada Farm is hopeful about the future. We want to maintain the production of high-quality organic cocoa and the farm’s biodiversity while give our guests an unforgettable holiday.

As a visitor, you can actively contribute to the preservation of this historical place and also help us to survive economically in the years ahead with a reduced cocoa harvest.

Markus