Today we went on an excursion through the Doka Estate and had a coffee and plantation tour. We had some samples of their chocolate and coffee. I also had a sample of the second hottest hot sauce that they had at the gift shop. It felt like my tongue was on fire (I also got the hiccups), but I still decided to buy the bottle as I enjoyed it and I think my dad would too. Finally, we then enjoyed a much needed and fantastic lunch.
The coffee tour showed me a great bit of surprises and opened my eyes to the intricate processes of coffee cultivation. I knew before this trip that the main coffee pickers were from Nicaragua. But what surprised me was the benefits that they were given. Free housing for their families in particular. It’s great that the workers and their families are treated well! We so often hear about migrant workers having to live in terrible living conditions, but it’s great to hear that Costa Rica is trying to help as much as possible. I learned that coffee trees can live up to 100 years, but are only useful for production for the first 25 years because afterwards they are not as useful for production. So what do they do with the trees once they get older? Instead of just letting them get old, they put them in a furnace and use it as fuel. This is just another way that Costa Rica shows their efficient use of resources. Also, their coffee receiving machine is done solely through water, no electricity (hence my blog’s title :)). Costa Rican coffee is definitely worth all of the hype! They put an emphasis on quality over quantity and they know what they are doing with the good quality and poor quality beans.
The technology they use is really impressive. Considering that their technology is extremely old, the way that it is still working efficiently enough to be part of a country who is a top producer in the world is astronomical. A recommendation that I have for their technology is to invest in more modernized technology. This can enhance their process and make it more sustainable for the future. However, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. The current technology is doing great so far, so I do not believe that there is a reason to change it.
