I have to admit, I did not expect to go back to elementary school quite this soon. But it was a great experience to support the community of Monteverde, and also to reflect on the differences between my life and the lives of children here. It really helped me see the difference between the position I was in as a kid and how these kids learn and grow.
After touring the farm and learning about the farming lifestyle here, I can say that being a Tico farmer would not exactly be my ideal career path. The lifestyle is hard, from the hours to the labor to the careful planning that is required to maintain a sustainable farm. Engineering in terms of modern technology was not really utilized on the farm, which used traditional farming methods. However, engineering is important to the success of the farm to devise sustainable ways of producing fertilizer and minimizing waste, allowing the farm to operate sustainably. For example, different types of fertilizer are produced on the farm for various purposes, such as replenishing nutrients in topsoil and introducing important organisms to the environment.
To answer the question “what brings them joy?”, I’m really not sure. Farming takes up most of their time, not leaving much more for fun. This is part of the reason farmers’ children are leaving the farming life to study at university and pursue more lucrative careers that allow for more opportunities and higher quality of life. Which is exactly what I’d do if I was the child of a Tico farmer. There aren’t nearly enough benefits to justify the working conditions, effort, and pay. In that sense, modern life has a very strong effect on farmers and farming communities. Just a couple generations ago, children of farmers would work on their parents farm until they eventually took over and worked on it until their children could take over. There weren’t many opportunities to leave that lifestyle, it was just how things worked. However, now the children can go to university and try to land more lucrative jobs with better benefits. That also harms the community as the children leave the farms behind and the work force diminishes. These communities are important for several reasons, not least of which is that they provide a support network to each other and the industry. During the Doka tour, we learned that the farmers all support each other to try and ensure success for each other. With people leaving behind their family farms and selling their land to the real estate industry, these communities and support networks shrink, becoming less effective and making life (and success) harder.