The cooperative Miguel Castro Siles is located in
the area of Aguas Agrias, 12 kilometers from the
entrance of Monteverde (km 60 ½ on the highway
between Granada and Nandaime).
This cooperative was founded in Waslala, in the north
of the country, and all members jointly moved to
the southern part of the country in 1992. After several
fruitless intents to settle down, the cooperative
got into contact with the Union of Cooperatives in
1994, and together with the cooperative “Rommel
Carrasquilla”, they occupied an abandoned farm.
After over 10 years of working the land, they are
in the process of obtaining the collective property
rights.
This cooperative combines traditional agricultural
activities (“chagüite” = plantain,
basic grains, vegetables, fruits), and raising big
livestock (bovine) and small livestock with new economic
activities, such as the production of honey, communal
rural tourism and the breeding of pelibuey sheep.
It also works on the conservation of an area of virgin
forest within the Natural Reserve of Lagoons of Mecatepe.
Furthermore, the women produce and sell bread and
confectionery; they take care of the maintenance
of an eat canteen for children; they sew, etc.
