SAN DIEGO — Eco-tourism is growing in popularity. A retreat in San Diego County allows you to get in touch with nature and also shows you how you can implement those green tips into your everyday life.
A resort that has it all
From hiking, to yoga, to tips on sustainable practices, Full Circle Farms in Ramona, has it all.
During my visit, the Manager Carissa Ultsch, picked a cactus fruit that was growing poolside at this eco-friendly retreat for us to eat. That's not all that is growing here.
"We are in between everything. But yeah, actually this is a Panela tree. So, this is a baby Panela," said Ultsch.
You'll also find white sage (good for energizing) and black sage (good for calming) growing here, which is forged for smudge sticks. Ultsch stresses they only forge 20% to minimize a significant impact to the animals that thrive from eating the seeds.
Additionally, pomegranates are among other vegetation sprouting up on this 21 acre retreat through sustainable practices like recycling fallen trees for mulch, low flow irrigation and the use of composting natural material instead of using chemical-rich fertilizers.
Solar powered
"So, this is leftover food and natural products. So rather than throwing them out, we actually put them back into Earth and it breaks down and creates beautiful nutrient-rich soil and we put that back on our fruit trees," explained Ultsch.
Other eco-friendly practices at Full Circle Farms include solar panels for power, solar heating for the pool and the use of high energy efficient light bulbs. All of which can help you to incorporate into your own lifestyle along with the use of environmentally safe products like laundry detergent packaged in a sheet form.
"So, you have turned those big, giant bottles of laundry detergent into this natural, organic, non-toxic material that when you put in your wash, it just goes into the water and cleans your clothes and disappears," said Ultsch.
Views
Additionally, the lodging is just as beautiful as the natural views surrounding the retreat.
"It brings the Earth inside. I don't really know how else to describe it. We have natural stone floors and wood everywhere. You can smell the Earth in here. It's just amazing," said Ultsch.
Full Circle Farms is not only gentle on our planet. It also promotes being kind to yourself. You can also treat yourself with spa services like massages and yoga classes with an extra touch like this Himalayan Sea Salt wall, which is especially great for allergy sufferers.
"When we're doing our flow, we have a charged room with negative ions. Clean pure air," explained Carissa.
So, if you are looking for a positive charge to your health, classes and tips for an eco-friendly lifestyle, a chance to reconnect with nature in a quiet corner in San Diego County, or all of the above, this green sanctuary in Ramona will do the trick.
"Coming to this property is rejuvenating and relaxing. So yes, we are organic, sustainable, healthy and everlasting," exclaimed Ultsch.
Additionally, all the produce grown in the Full Circle Farms is used to feed guests or is sold at local farmers’ markets.
For more info or to book a stay, click here.
At CBS 8, we are constantly working for you and our planet. We want your ideas on topics we should look into, stories we should cover and any ideas you have that can help Mother Earth.
WATCH RELATED: Working For Our Planet | Support sustainable farming (Oct. 2022).