Do you own land, dream of starting an eco-retreat, education center, or organic farm one day, or just love visiting these places? If so, we have some empowering stories lined up for you!
Subscribe to the Sharing Insights Podcast and join us on a journey through, eco-tourism, sustainability, and creative living at some of Costa Rica's most inspiring and impactful centers.
Exploring Sustainability & Advice from Intentional Communities, Retreat Centers, and Permaculture Projects throughout Costa Rica.
To share stories, strategies, and insights from ecologically & socially beneficial projects, in Costa Rica. These stories provide landowners everywhere access to unique ideas for how they, too, might design their own business models for greater success and impact.
In the end, we hope to see more people succeed in their dreams to live off the land, make it sustainable, and share it with others.
It's great to have you along!
Whether you're a new landowner, someone who's planning to steward land soon, or a veteran who wants to broaden their own perspectives for who's doing what and how they might improve their project, we have some captivating guests lined up for you!
Each of the projects on my list has its own unique focus and could be called by a different name (permaculture farm, retreat center, homestead, eco-lodge, intentional community, etc.) but they all have a few things in common. They chose to live somewhere in harmony with nature, they make effort to build and do business in an ecologically beneficial way, and they've opened their doors for others to join them in co-creating life-enriching experiences. Numundo.org calls these places Impact Centers.
Back-To-The-Landers Unite!
There are thousands of people around the globe who are poising themselves to either start a land-based project or double down on the one that they already have. At the same time, there are hundreds of thousands more that are looking to places like these for solutions, experiences, and even refuge. For most, operating a project like this, at any scale, has no end of challenges, especially for those who are underfunded. I've found that a podcast like this can be a powerful tool to learn not only what others are doing, but how they're doing it.
By sharing insights among owners of these unique places, it’s our goal to expand perspectives of how sustainability can be practiced, not only through responsible land management, but with regard to social dynamics, cultural exchange, and finances, as well. I like to believe that some number of beneficial relationships are likely to grow
Join us as we:
- Discover exciting and appropriate technologies,
- Explore advice for interacting with students, guests, and volunteers,
- Highlight and support this new generation of leaders,
- And dig deeper into what it really takes to keep the doors open for the millions of people who are searching for a place where they too can learn, change, and grow.

#006 Ancel Mitchell – Finca La Isla: Cacao – Traditional Roots to Cottage Industry
Welcome to the world of Ancel Mitchell, herbalist, storyteller, chocolatier, and overall quality human being. In today’s episode we dive into the value of connecting with & supporting local indigenous communities, various ways that one might prepare a cacao bean, and the value of embracing the mythological roots of our plant medicines. Ancel is one of the key players of Finca La Isla, along with her partner...
An Approach Grounded in Ethics
In Part 2 of our Permaculture Lifestyle Series, we're going to take a look at the role that Ethics plays in guiding our decision making and design. Most people have some concept of ethics and...
What Is Permaculture and How It Can Make Your Life Better
Many have come to know the term "Permaculture" in reference to land management. As a result, many of those people mistakenly think that it doesn't apply to them and their life in the city or...
Giving a Voice to Permaculture & Community in Costa Rica
Stories, strategies, and insights from some of Costa Rica’s more interesting eco-centers Sharing Insights Podcast is designed to support landowners who have a dream to do something ecologically and...

Durian Grafting & Propagating Trees for Market (Peter Kring: Finca La Isla)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bpSvIDTB_0&t=12s Have you ever wondered if having a tree nursery could be a viable business in a small market? Is grafting one of those curious mysteries that you’ve always wanted to learn more about? If so, take a few minutes and drop into the world of Peter Kring, nurseryman & president of the association that organizes the local farmer’s market. If you like what Peter has to say be sure to check out the full-length podcast interview that we did, as well as the other video we’ve made with him...

#006 Ancel Mitchell – Finca La Isla: Cacao – Traditional Roots to Cottage Industry
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#005 Peter Kring – Finca La Isla: Fruit Forest Maintainence & Farmers Markets
Meet Peter...
#004 Justin Dolan – The Permaculture Country Club: Designing for Resilience
The...
#003 Justin Dolan – The Permaculture Country Club: Bio-diversity, Bokashi, and Competition within Community
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#002 Ed Bernhardt – New Dawn Center: Bio-Ferments, Water Filtration, & Really Big Bamboo
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I really appreciate what Jason is doing to make a difference on our planet, right now. Thank you for the wonderful time that we shared in making the podcast.
It is really encouraging and inspiring to see like-minded people coming together and Sharing Insights being a key driver in connecting these people. It was a great pleasure to meet Jason and I am looking forward to hearing more.
Jason Bliss is an incredible guy! Right now, he is collecting information on how to make the world a better place, and whether you have information to give or want to receive this information, I highly recommend Jason and Sharing Insights.
10 Most Recent Podcast Episodes

#006 Ancel Mitchell – Finca La Isla: Cacao – Traditional Roots to Cottage Industry
Welcome to the world of Ancel Mitchell, herbalist, storyteller, chocolatier, and overall quality human being. In today’s episode we dive into the value of connecting with & supporting local indigenous communities, various ways that one might prepare a cacao bean, and the value of embracing the mythological roots of our plant medicines. Ancel is one of the key players of Finca La Isla, along with her partner Peter Kring from last week’s episode. Both of these pioneers have had a lot to share. Kick back and enjoy the stories that Ancel lays out for us. It’ll be time well spent. This episode is brought...

#005 Peter Kring – Finca La Isla: Fruit Forest Maintainence & Farmers Markets
Meet Peter Kring, a nurseryman and farmer who has 30 years experience in tropical agriculture. Peter has introduced many valuable species into cultivation in Costa Rica and maintains a collection of over 200 species of fruit trees. His farm, Finca la Isla, on the Caribbean coast, offers a plethora of workshops in horticulture, medicinal plants, chocolate making, fermentation, and farm to table practices. In today’s episode, Peter shares with us his insights into sustainability through producing goods to sell at the farmers market. Peter is an advocate for farmers’ markets and is the president of the committee that manages...

#004 Justin Dolan – The Permaculture Country Club: Designing for Resilience
The conversation continues from last week’s episode with Justin Dolan of St Michael’s Permaculture Country Club, in Central Pacific Costa Rica. Justin mentions a number of the innovations that he’s been experimenting with, including natural building with bamboo, bioremediation, soil health, natural cooling with living rooftops and vines, waste management, and more.

#003 Justin Dolan – The Permaculture Country Club: Bio-diversity, Bokashi, and Competition within Community
In today’s episode, we join Justin Dolan at the St Michael's Permaculture Country Club in Central Pacific Costa Rica. Justin shares his passion for seed propagation, medicinal plants, and using bio-ferments for healthy soil as well as animal care