Today we traveled to the Café Monteverde farm where we learned more about the sustainability and management of plants and coffee, ate a delicious meal, and tried even more coffee!!! During the tour we learned all about the interesting lifestyle of a Tico farmer and what responsibilities and challenging jobs they have to do in order to keep the plants, environment, and business healthy. It was fascinating to learn about some of the major struggles and breakthroughs that are made in order to provide the food that we all eat.
A Tico farmer’s life is not an easy one. Every day, coffee cherries need to be picked, animals need to be fed, waste needs to be turned into compost, ripe fruits need to be collected, and more. To say the least, there is always something to do despite the many challenges a farmer can face. Wind, rain, beetles, rust, disease, and a million more problems can and probably will appear, and it is the farmers duty to take their knowledge of soil, plants, and animals to minimize all threats and make each hector a vibrant one. Ultimately, the goal is to grow a healthy crop while also protecting the environment, but this could not done without some science.
Tico farmers use engineering tactics to help identify and solve problems that pose a threat to the crop or the environment. For example, beetle traps are set up throughout the coffee hectors to kill all the female beetles and prevent harm to the trees. Additionally, biodigesters are used to provide natural methane gas from pig waste instead of using propane. These techniques along with the strategic planting of trees and fruits to encourage healthy growth create a successful farm, keep the environment protected, and make the Tico farmers happy.
After today, my look at farming has completely turned around as I now find it a very fascinating and rewarding job. So much planning and experience needs to be attained in order to increase the yield of the crops without harming the environment and considering today was one of my favorite day of the trip so far and the fresh food was stunning, I would say Café Monteverde is doing an amazing job.