Cacao Pods

John from http://www.growingyourgreens.com visits Jean Marie Chocolat in Puerto Rico to show you how sustainable cacao is grown — and how it becomes real chocolate. In this episode, you’ll discover how cacao thrives without pests, fertilizer, or irrigation — making it one of the most sustainable crops in Puerto Rico. You'll see how cacao seeds sprout, grow into trees, and start fruiting — often within a year. You’ll tour a permaculture-style cacao orchard, learn how bananas and other plants support cacao, and see how cacao fruits are harvested year-round with minimal inputs. From seed to shade-dried beans to 100% chocolate, every step is shown. Finally, John interviews Juan, the farmer behind Jean Marie Chocolat, to learn how he’s helping revive Puerto Rico’s cacao industry — and how you can get involved or even grow your own. Jump to the following parts of this episode: 00:00 Episode Starts 00:20 How Jean Marie Chocolat Crafts Luxury Chocolate from Bean to Bar 00:55 Can You Actually Make Money Farming Cacao in Puerto Rico? 02:06 Discover Cuerdas Verdes: Cacao Greenhouse & Model Orchard 03:10 Why the BEST High-End Cacao in the World is Grown in Puerto Rico 04:50 No Irrigation? Why Cacao is the Most Sustainable Crop in PR 05:34 The Shade House Technique: Growing Cacao with Purpose 06:20 How to Plant a Cacao Seed — and Eat it Right From the Pod 07:28 Step-by-Step: Planting Cacao for the Best Results 08:00 See How a Cacao Seed Transforms in Just 3 Weeks 09:35 1-Month-Old Cacao Trees: What Growth Should Look Like 10:01 What 2.5-Month Cacao Trees Can Tell You About Your Farm 10:37 Why Seedling Cacao Beats Clones (Long-Term Strategy) 11:50 What 5-Month "Field-Ready" Cacao Trees Look Like 12:30 Real-Life Example: Cacao in a Permaculture System 13:10 Plant THIS with Cacao to Double Your Revenue Streams 15:00 How Far Apart Should You Plant Cacao for Maximum Yield? 15:45 Why Pairing Cacao & Bananas Boosts Your Farm's Success 16:50 Banana Keikis: The Overlooked Income Stream on Farms 17:35 Yes, You Can Eat Ripe Plantains — and Profit from Them 18:45 How Baby Plants Are Used for Grafting & Rapid Growth 19:40 Look at This: Fruit on a 1-Year-Old Cacao Tree 20:14 Why Bananas Are the Perfect Partner for Growing Cacao 22:00 Growing Your Own Food = Power, Resilience, and Freedom 22:30 Behind the Scenes at Hacienda Jean Marie Chocolat 23:30 Did You Know Cacao Fruits All Year in Puerto Rico? 25:04 Why Slopes & Hillsides Are Great for Cacao Trees 25:45 Cacao Leaves: Nature’s Mulch & Free Fertilizer 26:46 How Crushed Conch Shells Fertilize Cacao Trees Sustainably 29:44 Building Soil Gold: Deep, Rich Cacao Compost 30:42 Watch a Live Harvest of Fresh Cacao Pods! 31:51 Step Inside the Cacao Factory 32:07 What Happens to Cacao After Fermentation & Shade Drying 33:27 Cleaning the Beans: The Secret to High-Quality Cacao 34:13 What 50 lb. Fermented Cacao Bags Look Like Pre-Shipment 35:00 The Full Process: How Cacao is Turned into Chocolate 35:50 Don’t Throw It Away: Cacao Husks Make Great Tea & Mulch 37:10 Aged Cacao Liquor Blocks: The Smell is Intoxicating 39:29 Real 100% Cacao Powder = Ground Liquor Blocks 39:59 Grocery Store Cocoa vs REAL Cacao: The Truth Revealed 41:30 What PURE Ground Cacao Liquor Really Tastes Like 42:00 Live Taste Test: How REAL Chocolate Hits Different 43:05 Meet Juan Echevarria — The Visionary Behind the Farm 43:23 The Passion Behind the Plant: Why Cacao Means So Much 47:45 What Makes Puerto Rican Chocolate Truly World-Class? 51:25 Want to Start a Cacao Farm? Here’s How Jean Marie Helps 54:39 What Kind of ROI Can You Expect from a Cacao Farm? 56:50 What Unique Cacao Products Does Jean Marie Offer? 57:04 Cacao Husks: Delicious Tea or Powerful Mulch? 57:39 What Are Cacao Nibs — and Why They're So Popular 58:06 100% Ground Cacao Nibs: Pure Chocolate Flavor 59:00 Cacao + Sugar = 55% Ground Nib Blend Perfection 1:00:17 Taste Test: Puerto Rico–Grown Chocolate Bars 1:01:40 How to Ship Cacao Beans & Liquor to Chocolate Makers 1:04:50 Why Buying Direct from Farmers Saves You Big Money 1:06:58 How to Contact Jean Marie Chocolat to Learn or Buy Referenced Episodes: Original Episode at Jean Marie Chocolat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGhe_0eEFpo How to Hurricane Proof Your Farm at Jean Marie Chocolat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJQMIgSxXOs From Cacao Pod to Chocolate Bar: Truly Farm to Table https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyj5vzAox8I Subscribe to GrowingYourGreens for more videos: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=growingyourgreens Contact Jean Marie Chocolat: https://jmchocolat.com/ Follow Jean Marie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jeanmariechocolat Grow Your Own Cacao (or eat it) from the RAW BEANS as I show in this episode https://jmchocolat.com/product/cacao-pods/ Connect with Cuerdas Verdes Cacao to Start a Cacao Farm or Buy the Best Cacao Trees https://www.cbx.market