Belize Spice Farm and Botanical Garden
We sell Plants and Seedlings for Local Pick-up Only. Click here to view what we currently have on sale.
From Kerala, India to beautiful, tropical Belize - the origin of our Spice Farm
The Belize Spice Farm & Botanical Gardens, located at the foothills of the Maya Mountain in beautiful Belize, is the result of the inspiration and hard work of Tom and Tessy Mathew. When vacationing in Belize, the Mathews, originally from Kerala, India, were struck by the fact that the climate and topography of Belize are quite similar to that of Kerala, which is known for its world famous spices, such as Tellicherry Black Pepper, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. So in 1990, they started the Golden Stream Plantation in the Toledo district of Belize to grow cacao and citrus. With the aid of the Belizian Government, they imported seeds and cuttings of spice plants native to their homeland.
The farm is now one of the largest black pepper and vanilla farms in the country and is adorned with beautiful teak, mahogany, rosewood, and sandalwood trees, as well as a variety of other magnificent specimens.
We invite you to come and experience the unique blend of tropical nature and Indian plants!
Tours are open to the public as of December 2, 2011.
Bl pepper harvest 12-13 season
Freshly picked Bl pepper in the drying room
Strange looking Bl pepper corn
late in 2012-13 season we found this odd shaped pepper corn
Bl. Pepper
Black pepper 2013 Harvest
Fruits of Bismarchia Nobilis
One of the biggest atractions in our farm is the majestic Bismachia Nobilis. We have seed lings for sale in our nursry
cardamom
As of Dec. 2012 very few cardamom are reaching maturity
Black pepper
Drying Black pepper in Sun Room
Coffee
December is also the season for harvesting coffee
Dec 2012 Vanilla crops
Curing vanilla is a long process . We use the Bourban process which is followed in Madagascar.
Tour Mobile in the Bamboo Arch
Rows of Black pepper left for Tourism
more pict in Black pepper farm
More pictures in Black pepper farm
Dec is harvest season for Blackpepper. We delaying harvest of 6 rows of black pepper for tourism
Tour Mobile in Black pepper farm
Tourists can see spice plants close up while traveling on tour mobile
Tour Mobile parked in still unfinished Garage
It rains a lot in Belize,sometimes unexpectadly like today afternoon (12/31/12) Now we can take tourists from the reception area to spice farm and back without getting wet
Tour Mobile under Construction
It took little over 3 weeks to make a tour Mobile in our workshop. This will help us to take guests around the Spice farm in rain or shine.
Chocolate presentation continue
Chocolate drink making dates back to ancient times in Maya culture
More Chocolate tasting by Atlanta group
Cacao growers association in PG (south Belize)promots organic cacao farming.
More Chocolate tasting
There are several "mom and pop" and resort owned chocolate makers in S.Belize
S. Gardner group on the way to Black pepper farm
Belize spice farm may the biggest Black pepper farm in Belize producing Tellichery Black pepper
More introductory speech
Listening to Tour guide Sipriano Canti
Gardners group were interested in learning the origin of the Spicefarm Concept and the fact that the spice plants were broughtin from half world away
smart Gardeners frm Atlanta
This week Smart gardners from Atlanta visited the spice farm
Black pepper nursery
In the Month of Sep.. we planted Black pepper in the field and in nusery
vanilla seedlings
Vanilla planifolia seedlings about 3 months old. Most of the new plants are used to expand vanilla farm
Bismarchia nobilis seedlings
Beautiful Blue palm Bismarchia Nobilis . The seedings are about 3 months old
Lychee seedlings
New lychee plants in the new commercial nurserry
Lychee seedlings
New lychee plants in the new commercial nurserry
Vanilla processing
vanilla Harvesting also started in Sept. Picture show the final step (airation)in making a marketable vanilla
Nutmeg
Nutmeg is harvested through out the year
Yellow Rambuttan
They are delicious
More pictures of rambuttan
Rambuttan is a new crop for southern Belize
Rambuttan
Season for Rambuttan started early September. They are very tasty tropical fruits
children playing and helping pump water
Play ground water pumping station
The very clever way to pump water in to a storage tank,designed and built locally
Golden Stream School getting Solar power
Golden Stream village has no grid connected electric power. But is Sept 2012 Golden Stream school was supplied by solar generated electric power.
Black Pepper Trees are currently in bloom
Come and see for yourself the beautiful black pepper trees. Click on the photo to see it larger.
Black Pepper Trees are currently in bloom.
Click on the photo to see it larger.