Isla del Encanto: Part 4

Photo Essay: Scenes From Puerto Rico’s Foodways

Every step toward agricultural independence and sustainable industry is a push toward a self-realized future

One of the guest houses at El Pretexto, a bed and breakfast with a garden. | Una de las casas de
huéspedes en El Pretexto, un hotel con una jardín.

Puerto Rico has to be seen to be believed—and, to some extent, to be truly understood. Photographer Mariángel Catalina Gonzales has the perfect eye for her home: a way of capturing both its truth and its veil of surreality. Rows of herbs planted in a hydroponic system seem to go on for miles; goats take on human personalities; light off mountains gives grass a golden feel; rum barrels come alive. You’ll find her photos throughout the series, but we’ve gathered more of them here, capturing the essence of the isla del encanto.

Rows of seedlings at Frutos del Guacabo. | Hileras de plántulas están listos en Frutos del Guacabo.

Milking goats at Frutos del Guacabo. | Se ordeña una cabra en Frutos del Guacabo.

The goats at Frutos del Guacabo. | Los cabras en Frutos del Guacabo.

One of the guest houses at El Pretexto. | Una de las casas de huéspedes en El Pretexto.

Crystal Díaz and her dog as she discusses the work she is doing. | Crystal Díaz y su perro mientras ella habla sobre su trabajo.

A dog on a porch at El Pretexto. | El perro en el porche en El Pretexto.

Sebastián Sagardia with bags of wood chips and coffee grounds at Huerto Rico. | Sebastián Sagardia con las bolsas llenan de astillas de madera y granos de café.

Oyster mushrooms sprouting. | Los hongos ostra están brotando.

Sebastián Sagardia fills bags with substrate. | Sebastián Sagardia llena las bolsas con sustrato.

An area for repairing barrels at Destileria Serralles. | Una area para reparar los barriles en Destileria Serralles.

Barrels filled with rum at Destileria Serralles. | Los barriles llenan de ron en Destileria Serralles.

Destileria Serralles.

Diego San Miguel gets brioche ready for the oven. | Diego San Miguel prepara la pan de brioche para el horno.

Sourdough bread made at Panoteca San Miguel. | La pan de masa fermentada de Panoteca San Miguel.

Diego San Miguel enjoys one of his breads. | Diego San Miguel disfruta una de sus panes.

Isla del Encanto is a four-part series from How We Get To Next. Click on the applause button to recommend it to your friends, and for more from How We Get To Next, follow us on Twitter and Facebook and sign up for our newsletter.