When you picture a farm, what do you see?
For most, it’s often a vast field with a few trees, maybe. Animals of one species fenced off, or a sea of a single crop.
But walking through the gates of cocoa farm Hacienda RC, you see something different to any agricultural farm you’ve likely seen before. You see a wildlife sanctuary.
In Comalcalco, Tabasco, Mexico at Hacienda RC cacao isn’t just a crop. It’s part of a biodiverse ecosystem surrounded by towering fruit trees, shy howler monkeys, and the hum of life. Each species contributes something unique to the soil, feeding the circle of life.
Sounds like a paradise. And, it’s all kept alive thanks to one woman: Viridiana de la Cruz.
Protecting a Blessing
Viridiana didn’t always imagine herself as a cocoa farmer. In fact, she worked in banking until the death of her father, Rosain de la Cruz. From that moment, the future of the family’s farm was in doubt. Would the land be sold? Cleared for cattle?
Not on Viri’s watch.
With the firm belief her family’s hacienda was worth fighting for, she returned home to the rainforest.
“People said, ‘You don’t know how to work this land. You should sell it’,” she tells us. But for Viridiana, this was more than land. “This is a blessing. A blessing my father and grandfather worked for. And if they worked for it, why wouldn’t I?”
Today, Viridiana tends the 13-hectare plantation with the help of her partner, Miguel, and her sisters — preserving a heritage that is as much about biodiversity and family as it is about quality cocoa.
A Farm That’s a Forest
Step into Hacienda RC, and you’d understand why this place is worth the fight. It’s an agroforestry paradise. Cacao trees flourish under the shade of tall fruit and wood trees. Oranges, mameys, peppers, cinnamon, and even coffee plants create a rich, balanced ecosystem.
Here, life teems from the soil to the treetops. You’ll spot squirrels, colourful birds, and families of howler monkeys swinging overhead — a species endangered by rising temperatures and drought.
Viridiana knows that preserving this balance is the only way forward. “We nourish the land with organic fertilizers we make ourselves, nourishing the plant in drought,” says Viri. While speaking, she prunes the cocoa trees with care, as to not damage flower cushions key to future growth.
The Climate Battle
This heritage doesn’t come easy. In recent years, unpredictable rains have delayed harvests, shrunk yields, and tested every farmer’s resilience. In early 2024, fires ravaged 19% of the farm, destroying trees and impacting the delicate balance between soil, plant, and animal.
Viridiana doesn’t shy away from this reality. Instead, she faces it head on— planting new cacao trees and finding ways to help her crop adapt to the warming climate.
One of the biggest challenges? Ensuring her cocoa beans dry evenly and avoid spoilage despite unpredictable seasons. Without a solution, her harvest goes to waste.
“We had many problems with the sun because in March it starts with a lot, a lot of sun here for drying,” Viri tells us.
“Maybe because we do not have the ideal infrastructure, then we suffer because of the sun. Because the grain, if it is not dried in a certain way, the pores close and inside, it cannot get its moisture out.
“So what we want is for a grain to be well fermented and for a grain to be well dried because here, because of the humidity it can die.”
A Legacy Calling
Viridiana and Miguel aren’t just preserving cocoa. They’re sharing it with the world. From creating a cosy tasting room and a small chocolate workshop, to hosting visitors with cacao pulp smoothies and beer pairings, they invite people to experience the many flavours of cocoa and the culture that shaped it.
“If we work hard, we can actually be producers and tell the world, you know, that this is my cocoa, a fine aroma cocoa,” Viri tells us.
“I want to do it for my children. Totally for my children.”
Why Hacienda RC Matters
In a world where many farms give way to cattle farming or monocropping, Viridiana is choosing to protect the diverse life Hacienda RC stands for.
She’s showing the world that sustainable, organic farming that promotes land regeneration rather than clearing, is the way to combat climate change.
It’s not easy but for Viri, it’s worth it. We think so too.
Rooted in Stories. Growing with Purpose.
Watch Viri’s story — live now in Episode 5.
