World Guatemala Sacatepéquez Antigua

Sue's Big Trip

Macadamia Finca May 12, 2010

Visited a Macadamia Finca which was about 15 minutes outside Antigua, on a chicken bus called Esmeralda. The finca is called Valhalla and seems to be run by an American who is set on saving the planet. Macadamia trees are not native to Guatemala and were originally imported to California from Australia and then to Guatemala. The guide talked us through the vast benefits of Macadamia oil and by products and I understood about 5% of it! The finca gardens were beautifully done, they even had Antirrhinums! I still can't get over seeing asparagus fern, cheese plants and coleus growing in their natural habitat (and SO big) The macadamia orchards were wonderful. They are picked and sorted by size and de-shelled (see pics). The Nestle factory is just down the road so I guess they are big buyers! I got treated to a macadamia oil facial and neck and shoulder massage which was very relaxing. Lots of save the planet signs see www.exvalhalla.net The farmer was very proud of the banos (loo) and one of our group said it was "the prettiest toilet" he had ever seen.