The certified organic Fazenda Vera Cruz of Jennifer Tibbaut and Roland Müller is located in Bahia. Bahia is the largest coffee producing state in Brazil. The fazenda covers 106 hectares – that’s roughly 106 soccer fields. Different varieties of sustainably grown Forastero and Trinitario cacao occupy the largest area. These varieties are called ‘Cacao Superior da Bahia’. To this day, the area is cultivated according to traditional methods.
The Fazenda Vera Cruz is part of the Cabruca Cooperative, an organization of small farmers engaged in organic and agro-forestry production. Their goal is to preserve the Atlantic Rainforest.
Contrary to monocultural cultivation, cacao thrives as part of the natural flora and fauna. This method of cultivation is called “Cabruca” in Bahia. This means something like sub-forest in the language of the indigenous people. The açaí and pupunha palms are planted as a mixed crop alongside the cacao. As a side crop, Jennifer and Roland also grow vanilla, pepper, cloves and guarana.
Due to the diversity of plant varieties, a useful commercial timberland is created. Most of the plants listed are part of the middle layer of the rainforest. The Fazenda Vera Cruz also owns 22 hectares of land reserve, so-called “Reserva Legal”. This part of the fazenda consists of forest, and no farming is allowed here. In this hotspot, known as Mata Atlantica, plants and animals thrive without extensive human intervention.