The story of a recovery: how hurricane Maria boosted small farms

Puerto Rico's small farms - aided by outside groups such as World Central Kitchen - have seized a post-disaster opportunity to challenge the island's import-reliant food economy

Nestled between a chemical factory and sparkling blue ocean sits a wonderland filled with rowdy goats, sturdy passionfruit plants and tiny chive blossom flowers that when bitten, erupt with garlicky flavor 50 times more potent than their size.

That this farm in Manati, Puerto Rico, exists at all is a marvel, considering owners Efri(C)n Robles and Angelie Martinez could not enter the property after Hurricane Maria tore through on 20 September. The couple said the hurricane destroyed 80% of the farm's infrastructure and leveled its production capacity to zero.