Love farm to table food? At Hamanasi, we do. That is why nearly two decades ago we created our own garden. We grow many vegetables from nutrient packed kale and colorful tomatoes to flavorful culantro and spicy habaneros. Fruit includes pineapple, bananas, plantain, papaya and more. And we like our food clean. Our garden is certified organic by the Belize Organic Alliance.
Lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, eggplant and more fresh from the garden.
You might ask how we get things to grow in sandy soil. Each day we compost approximately 100 pounds of organic and biodegradable waste, from kitchen scraps to leaf litter. Our multi bin composting station with the hard work of our gardeners takes these inputs and turns them into rich, nutrient packed dark soil. The resultant nourishing soil is added to our garden beds. And we use worms! Vermicompost — basically worm manure — also is added as a natural fertilizer.
Heat rising from our compost bins.
When planting we use heirloom and organic seeds as much as possible. Seeds from our own crops also are harvested and saved for the next planting cycle. Some plants that either need a bit more protection from our intense sunlight and/or from critters are grown in a covered greenhouse.. Unfortunately, our resident iguanas seem to like our garden too! Many vegetables are planted in raised beds to further deter insects and keep the crops safe from periodic flooding. Pathways around the garden are mulched with wood shavings from our carpentry shop. Water from our pond is used for irrigation.
Gardener Stanley waters plants in the greenhouse.
True to our eco credentials, our garden received a Certificate of Organic Production by the Belize Organic Alliance. You can be sure that all that we produce is nourishing and healthy.
How do we use all that we produce? In a variety of ways. Our mixologists use herbs, such as mint and basil, as well as fruit like bananas, lime and pineapple in cocktails. The restaurant utilizes produce from the garden. In fact, our chefs regularly consult with our gardeners to learn what is available and what should be planted. It is very likely that the lettuce in a dinner salad had been picked earlier that day! Hamanasi’s staff kitchen also uses garden fresh items in food it prepares. Finally, if we have a bumper crop of food that we cannot use or freeze all of, we make this available to staff and the community.
Bartender Vicky cutting basil for cocktails.
When you visit Hamanasi we hope you’ll take a tour of our garden and composting area. Our gardeners love to explain in detail all that they do. During the tour you will see many delicious crops including lettuce, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, green beans, various herbs, cabbage and more. Afterwards, head to the bar or restaurant and enjoy those farm to table ingredients!
You can enjoy fresh coconut water during a garden tour. Gardeners strolling past raised beds.
