Rachael Blasbalg Perry

In 2010 I left my corporate career and went on a journey of self-discovery in Central America. After a year of travel, I found a permaculture paradise on a remote island in Nicaragua called Ometepe. My husband and I bought a small plot of overworked farmland and began to create our own micro-farm.

Over ten years of living on Ometepe has taught me I am passionate about the connection between nature, food, and our homes. Once, we all lived in homes made from local materials, ate food grown close by, and spent time in the home with our families. I believe that that is possible again.

Choosing to live more sustainably doesn’t mean you must live primitively. It just means you must live consciously. Natural materials can be luxurious. The sun can provide your power. You can create elegant flavors from unfamiliar foods.

I thrive on the challenges that come from living on Ometepe. I’ve spent years researching tropical plants and experimenting with them on my farm. But for me figuring out how to use the plants is more fun than growing them. We now produce our own oil, soap, butter, milk, eggs, bread, jam, and countless other products either from our farm or other locally grown produce.

I love to share the knowledge that I learn. In addition to writing, I spend my time teaching natural building workshops, planting, fermenting, baking, and caring for our goats, chickens, horses, pig, and donkey.