Why Real Solutions Start With Real Problems (Not Just Pretty Designs)
This week, I had the huge honor of being called in as an advisor by my friend and mentor Alex Kronick — founder of Caoba Farms, (insert link to caoba farms website) in my opinion the best farm-to-table restaurant in Central America.
Alex has been farming for over 20 years. He’s a master grower, an innovator, and a serious force in the world of regenerative agriculture. What started as a small market garden in Antigua, Guatemala, has grown into a network of farms, markets, and supply chains reaching into the surrounding region of Paramos.
When Alex calls for support, it’s not about beginner-level stuff.
It’s real problems — ones that come up when you’re growing something that actually works and trying to scale it without compromising your values, your team, or your soil.
And that’s why I love it.
We spent the day walking through his avocado groves and talking about one of the biggest challenges every farmer is facing right now:
How do you keep your land productive and regenerative… without getting buried in labor costs?
From Techniques to Economics
Years ago, I might’ve told him:
“Just chop and drop under the avocados and add organic bokashi — job done!”
But today, I know better.
Regenerative design isn’t just about theory — it’s about real-world logistics, economics, and energy.
The problem?
Organic inputs like bokashi are heavy.
Pruning and mulching takes time.
Carrying compost or managing the understory with machetes or weed-whackers? Brutally labor-intensive.
So here’s the solution we landed on — one that excites us both:
A Pizza-Slice Chicken System
We’re now designing a fencing strategy to rotate pasture-raised chickens through the understory of the avocado plantation.
Here’s what it does:
• Feeds the soil naturally (through composted manure and light scratching)
• Reduces weeding and mowing costs
• Generates income through high-quality eggs
• Slashes feed bills by giving birds access to pasture
• Creates resilience by integrating systems instead of isolating them
It’s a real permaculture solution.
Not just a concept. A contextual answer to a complex, living problem.
And once that fencing investment is in place, it becomes a replicable model — one that could redefine the economics of avocado production in this region and beyond.
Why This Matters for You
This experience is exactly why I designed my current programs the way I have: Not to make permaculture pretty — but to make it possible.
We start with a crash course in design theory — our one-hour PDC — and move quickly into the real work:
• Mapping your site
• Diagnosing real challenges
• Drawing your design professionally
• Creating a business strategy
• And—if you’re ready—hosting a community-building work party that installs the key pieces on your land.
If you’re a student in our program, you’ll learn this step-by-step.
If you’re a landowner or impact entrepreneur like Alex, we’ll walk with you to bring it to life.
Either way, this work is more than theory.
It’s how we build a future that actually works.
Want to Learn More?
Click here to watch our latest video from the farm explaining how these systems come together.
And if you want to take the next step in designing your own project — or learning how to do this for others — just reply to this email or book a free discovery call.
https://zcal.co/nealhegarty/30min
Let’s get growing,
Neal Hegarty
CreaSol Permaculture
