After our last night in Monteverde, we ended our trip in Monteverde with a visit to Life Monteverde. Life Monteverde is a unique coffee farm that serves as a sustainability education center. This tour was the most hands-on experiences we had so far. We didn’t just walk through coffee plants, got the chance to roll up our sleeves and plant for ourselves, and even make compost.

Although what really set Life Monteverde apart from the others was its commitment to environmental education. We got to learn about biodiversity, how the farm integrated animals, renewable energy, and waste systems. At the end of the tour we even got the chance to come up with ideas to further sustainability, within the farm, and present it to the Tico farmers.

On this tour we got to learn a great deal about Tico farmers from their lives, challenges, and how engineering and technology affect the farm. The farmers here don’t see obstacles as setbacks, but as opportunities to innovate. From the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced them to shut down in-person tours and launch an online store, and even online tours, to ongoing struggles with crop diseases like red rust and other fungi, they continue to adapt through testing and creative sustainable solutions.

I was very impressed by the farm’s use of environmentally friendly technologies. Life Monteverde farmers create compost using ingredients like rice, corn, and sugar byproducts. They even produce their own organic fertilizer using sulfur and quicklime. This is a blend of traditional farming and modern innovation, that is aimed at protecting the planet and producing quality coffee. The passion of the farmers at Life Monteverde truly inspiring.