The Garden of Paradise is blessed with clean air, water and excellent soil for growing all sorts of food, as we have been demonstrating since mid-2007 on the Downstream Farm (click here). Both farms share similar conditions for growing food and both farms also have several beautiful building sites, all connected to our private internal roadway.

Land elevation for both farms ranges between 5,000 and 6,200 feet. The lowest land is down near the Vilcabamba River, at 5000 feet above sea level. About half the land bordering the river is level and great for farming.

Rolling hills rise up from the flat land by the river. As we’ve demonstrated on the Downstream Farm (click here), these rolling hills also have excellent soil for growing gardens and food forests, thanks to decades of cattle that have grazed (translate: fertilized) the slopes.

Mountains rise up above the rolling hills to 6,200 feet elevation, with large flat areas on top in several places on both farms. From the mountain tops you can gaze out over magnificent views, far into the distance.

The Garden of Paradise is a photographer’s paradise, thanks to the constantly changing colors, light and shadows. Here are just a few of the thousands of photos we’ve taken, to give you an idea of the surprising beauty here. None of these photos have been enhanced or ‘doctored’.

The three photos below were taken from the top of the mountain above Lot 1, near the eastern end of the Upstream Farm.

The Garden of Paradise is made up of two farms, a total of about 350 acres. We bought the Downstream Farm in the late spring of 2007 and the Upstream Farm near the end of 2008.

Below is a map that shows the two farms. Our plan is to leave over 90 percent of the land as a Nature Preserve and to demonstrate, as best we can, a way of living that is harmonious with Nature and with our neighbors.

For more photos of what we have been creating here in the Garden of Paradise since 2007, click here.