Morne Coubaril Estate
this beautiful estate still produces cocoa, manioc
and coconuts, offering visitors the perfect opportunity to watch the
old agricultural methods that were used for centuries, along with
providing horse rides, around the 250 acre estate that has been
preserved since the 18th century, with all the house and interior
furnishings saved as well. The property was a concession of Louis
XIV of France in 1713, but it wouldn't be worked on until 1742, and
remained in the same family until 1960, although it would be divided
among heirs. In 1762, the owner was commander of the local militia,
and decided to construct a fort that look out over Soufriere Bay to
protect the settlement, and a cannon still exists on the site as a
memory of those former days. Visitors can watch as the coconuts are
opened, roasted and then sent off to be made into soaps, oils,
margarine and animal feed, or see how cocoa is fermented, dried on
the racks set in the sun, then oiled, polished by a person dancing
on them, crushed and later formed into chocolate sticks. The manioc
roots are grated, squeezed free of any water, then dried over an
open fire and turned into farina and tapioca pudding that is called
kassava here. There is a recreated farm workers village that is
located on the grounds so that visitors can see how these people
lived and enjoyed their existence.
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