Where to begin! My multiple experiences at Rancho Mastatal have all been more positive and transformative than the last. Whether it's the incredibly delicious and healthful food, the stimulating conversations or the sense of family, there is so much to be gained from staying with and learning from the beautiful folks at Rancho Mastatal. It is on an incredible property in a small, remote town called Mastatal but transportation can be figured out relatively easily. I have life-long friends from the PDC course I took last year and I can't wait to return again in the future. All the love to the RM Family!
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It's difficult to comprehensively describe how amazing Rancho Mastatal Sustainability Education Center is. Tim and Robin have established an amazing culture and community in at the Ranch. The core members team keep the entire ranch running and work their buns off. They deserve recognition of all of their hard work behind the scenes for the ranch to sustain its positive impact on the earth and the people that visit. I participated in the Timber Framing Workshop and it was an incredible experience. Coming from someone who best learns by hands on activities it was an invaluable educational experience. They provided a great balance of serious education and having a fun time. I could go on an on about how mazing the ranch is, but my words wont do it justice. If you have any inclination of visiting, GO FOR IT! You are going to have an amazing experience in such a beautiful country full of great people!
Good people make it what it is. A fun experience filled with good food and a healthy, productive atmosphere. It was hot and a lot of hard work, but rewarding and educational. It's a premiere location for those seeking the natural, self reliant, low impact life and technologies.
Like a home that my imagination had not realised could be real, and my heart still feel belonging to. I spend almost a year with a legendary community, in beautiful and living naturally build structures, eating food supporting the land and local people, and surrounded by crazy alive wilderness, just real good stuff for belly and spirit!
Well organized and beautiful to experience. I indeed learned so much and I'm looking forward to the next workshop and visit! Food was amazing and the love, the life and the energie for personal development on many levels was very strong to me! Till next time!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Rancho Mastatal and all that they do and all that they represent on the planet. They are empowering and educating people to a "real" way of living in harmony with the earth and our environment. From sustainable practices whether it is food or building or environment, their education from a point of practice is the best. I am blessed to have them as neighbors and continue to be inspired and excited by the many incredible classes they have to offer. Please, join them at any time as you will not regret the once in a live time opportunity!
After researching many different permaculture design courses available in Costa Rica I chose the course at Rancho Mastatal and I couldn't be happier with my decision. The instructors, hosts and location are excellent and I learned much more than I was expecting. All the instructors were exceptional and I really appreciated having two female instructors on the teaching team (Rachel and Laura you inspire me! :)). The food was delicious and everyone at the ranch took the time to make sure each and every student was comfortable and well looked after. I can't wait to return to take more courses! Many thanks to everyone at Rancho Mastatal for an incredible two weeks that I will never forget!
Thank you Rancho Mastatal for the many experiences and opportunities that you have given me. I recently finished the 2-month internship course and the experience was very positive. The quality of the incredible education, the delicious food, its agroforestry, natural construction and inter-personal communication systems are the most advanced I have experienced in any project or community with a Permaculture-Sustainable and Educational approach. Highly recommended.
What a cool place! We were on a 10 day trip to Costa Rica, exploring where we'd like to return on a longer visit - and Rancho Mastatal is top of the list. Really lovely people, with a focus on education, minimizing our impact on the earth, and enjoying life and beauty. I highly recommend visiting, taking a class, and staying as long as you can. (And the road up isn't bad - take your time and enjoy the view!)
Everyone at Rancho Mastatal is extremely professional, kind, and a pleasure to spend time with! I learn so much every time I go there. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a more authentic, rural experience while in Costa Rica.
I was lucky enough to spend time at Rancho Mastatal with a University of Washington group led by Tiburon back in 2009. Hoping I can make it back to Mastatal before too long. A very special place.
Currently, I am living at Rancho Mastatal for 1 year. This is a hands-on sustainability education center and community. So far, it has been an incredible experience -- I have learned a lot about tropical agriculture, food processing, and natural building, while immersing myself in the lush nature of Costa Rica. I have enjoyed meeting many guests from all different backgrounds and age ranges from around the world who have come to visit or study. I highly recommend a visit!
An alternative way to living, with a virtuous and realistic agenda is the only way to describe my experience at Rancho Mastatal. This isnt some luxury resort, that gives you entitled comforts. Its above all that, and makes you think of what could be, how you can strive to a more sustainable, ethical, and moral world.
Wish I could give more stars! My partner and I were there for a building practicum in December 2016, it was super interesting and we learned heaps. The people at Mastatal know their stuff and are happy to share their knowledge. Not a dull moment and I hope to return really soon. Pura vida!!!
I participated in a 2 week Natural Building intensive and had a great experience. The physical site is amazing and so naturally inspiring as well as comfortable. The team consistently demonstrated their genuine passion for learning from, connecting with, and protecting the natural world - and for spreading their knowledge. The food was incredible and I felt completely enriched by this experience. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to grow their knowledge, skills, and inspiration for anything relating to natural building, food systems, community, off-grid living, and generally how we can regenerate. Gracias Madre Tierra y buen provecho!
Rancho Mastatal is amazing! The ranch has been around for over 15 years and are pioneers in sustainable building, agroforestry, and eco-tourism. The ranch is an awesome place to chill out for a few days or spend a few weeks taking a workshop! The property is beautiful and located in a quiet, safe Costa Rican town.
Took the Timber Framing class earlier this year and I highly recommend it. Knowledgeable, enthusiastic instructors in fantastic Rancho Mastatal, a prime permaculture setting and staff. I feel this class got me well prepared to tackle my own TF structure in nearby Granada, Nicaragua.
I had a great time at Rancho Mastatal. Amazing piece of property right in the heart of the jungle. The entire crew is fun, knowledgeable and accommodating. You'll try a lot of great local fruits and veggies you've never had before. It's was a hands on experience I'll never forget.
Bill and I, and our son Benito, through The Canelo Project, had the honor of running a 2-week workshop on natural plasters, hosted by Rancho Mastatal this past April. Our son, Benito, had taken 6 months off to travel through Mexico down to South America. As is with the natural building world, he wandered from one event and gathering to another. When he reached Rancho Mastatal he instantly felt at home, stayed on, and wished to return with us to see and experience it first-hand. Like he hinted at, it was more of an experience than a typical workshop, all the way from the setting and structures to the people and the community formed. The drive from San Jose to Rancho Mastatal was an adventure as we rose and dropped from one mountain top to another to arrive in the middle of the lush Costa Rican jungle. We were greeted by young, enthusiastic apprentices who immediately offered us a lightly fermented, sparkling drink made on-site from whatever local fruit was in season. Definitely a refreshing relief for those adjusting to the heat and humidity. We were soon invited to join them for a mid-day meal, since the owners and permanent residents were gone for a beach retreat. I instantly knew we were in someplace special and unique. And as time went on, it only became clearer how true that was. There was community of like-hearted people coming together to work hard and play even harder. There was such care and intention put into the construction of gorgeous structures and delicious meals. There was a warm willingness to learn and experiment despite the multitude of astonishing skills and talents at work. There was a quality that only grows out of a natural, organic growth over time, revealing a delicate mix of heart and clear organization to ensure everything keeps going. I too, quickly found myself at home, immersed in life-long family and friends.
I lived at Rancho Mastatal as a year-long apprentice in 2018 and can confidently say that it has been one of the richest educational experiences of my life. The Ranch afforded me the experience not only to learn about the skills to build and live a life that I desire, but also a place to develop my confidence and capabilities in these - marrying theory with practice. The educators that manage the ranch (Core Team) are knowledgeable and experienced, creating an excellent learning environment and also provide one-on-one support as needed. Outside of learning, I had the chance to live in a beautiful, remote part of Costa Rica and live within the Ranch community which is warm and welcoming. If you have the chance to spend time at the Ranch in any capacity - apprentice, attend a workshop, stay as a guest - I highly recommend it.
Rancho Mastatal is just amazing. The knowledge brought to the table by the team members, plus the talent that comes to teach at the Rancho is just TOP.
I have been to 4 courses there and it is always beyond my expectations.
The food is what I call RETROVOLUCIONARY... They are revolutionizing by looking back at traditional cooking and adding all of their forest food into the mix. Ferments and sauces, vegetables you never even heard about before. Delicious and healthy .
The buildings are a showcase of almost any possible alternate construction technic and might sound rustic, but they are lovely decorated and confortable.
Totally worth it every time. I love Rancho Mastatal.
Rancho Mastatal is by far the most inspiring place I've had the good fortune of visiting. The incredible warm and welcoming nature of the team. The wow factor of the natural buildings and sustainable systems. The sense of peace wandering through the lush permaculture designed gardens, discovering a wonder of food crops. The scrummy mealtimes. Or simply a trek down to the waterfall after lunch through the beautiful forest for a refresh. Nothing is better than time spent in this fantastical place. I took the 2 week permaculture course this year and would recommend it to anyone and everyone. A magical experience indeed!
Rancho Mastatal is an amazing education center! I completed the one year apprenticeship program there, which was a life changing opportunity that I would strongly recommend to anyone looking to learn how to build regenerative communities that care for both nature and each other. Can't say enough good things about this place!
A beautiful intentional ecovillage bordering a rainforest, where you can engage with liked-minded people who become life-long friends, while learning best practices in living sustainably.
Rancho Mastatal offers a truly unique experience for learning, sharing, and understanding community. Attending a course or simply stopping by for a visit is sure to have a profound impact on any traveler. Amazing meals, inspiring buildings, and top notch people. A wonderful place.
I am the rancho's former apprentice and a life-long fan. It's a place where values spoked about are lived to the fullest. It's a no-pretense place, where family, community, sustainability and simplicity are practiced. I have felt my mind exploding with the richness of ideas and projects being carried at the rancho, from natural building, producing methane gas for cooking from cow poop, working in the jungle and processing some super cool exotic fruits and vegetables.
The folks running the operation are ones that anybody would love to call friends.
I cannot recommend the rancho enough! It's a version of Eden! Go check it out!!
For me, the 2017 Rancho Mastatal Natural Building course was a very worthwhile investment. The owners, staff, and teachers were fully committed to provide a meaningful two week experience, and they succeeded on all fronts, which is no small feat. Students were all well-fed and cared for, social interactions were relaxed, creativity was stimulated. We learned and applied a broad range of natural building techniques and manual skills. Yes. it was hard work at times, but I was rewarded with a deeper understanding and a new skillset to use for the rest of my life. I am proud to say that I am a Rancho Mastatal Natural Builder. Truly an unforgettable experience!
It's hard to describe in words how great my experience was in the PDC class. It was much more than I expected and has opened up a door to a new way of looking at the world and how I move forward with my work. Peace to the Rancho Mastatal team.
I had the good fortune of spending six days at Rancho Mastatal. It is a beautifully wholesome community that is inspiring both educationally and personally. I was able to feel connected to Earth processes and have a truer understanding of what it means to live sustainably. The staff were inviting and excited to share their knowledge on permaculture design, food processing and natural building. Being free to explore the orchards, nature reserve, and extensive library were very fulfilling ways to spend my time. Albeit short, my time at Rancho Mastatal was sincerely impactful and I hope very much to return. We could all learn a lot from this wonderful place.
Our time at Rancho Mastatal was absolutely incredible. The food was delicious (best we've had in Costa Rica!), the hospitality was warm and welcoming and the knowledge I received at the Permaculture Design Course was life-changing. So much love and gratitude. We will be back for more:)
Beautiful place and more beautiful people, full of knowledge and ready to share it. I did the 2 weeks natural building with the Steens and exeded my expectations!! But it seems i didn't have enough, because i was there a month later to do the practicum, which was a lot of healthy work. followed by a lot of healthy food, and ultimate frisbee !!! five stars is not enough!
Fine two weeks work. It's not just the mechanical process of building and sweating in the heat, its the teamwork, the setting, the community, the stunning nature (Scarlett McCaws, Blue Morphos, In-tact rainforest, Toucans, Mot mots, wood rails and poison dart frogs), the amazing fresh food and inspiration and pristine swimming holes, the talented musicians playing to a background of crickets and cicadas, the bonds of friendship created as each joint is cut and fitted and lifted into place and cemented over music, laughter and beer.
Rancho Mastatal is a wonderfull, beautiful, hardworking community in the rural jungle of Costa Rica. You will always have the opportunities to chat with new interesting people, read a book, swim in fresh water, eat a delicious local meal, learn something new, and much more! With a desire and will to walk a sustainable path, the Ranch is likely to leave you inspired to do the same.
Wish I could stay at Rancho Mastatal longer! Very beautiful and peaceful place! Most of the things you eat or use are locally sourced, and there are much to do on and off the property. Most importantly, I got to spend the week hanging out with some of the greatest human beings on this planet. 100% recommend!
ranchomastatal.com
