Today was our last day in Monteverde:((((( This morning we visited our last coffee tour, Life Monteverde. This coffee farm and sustainability center is tucked away in the lush hills of Monteverde. However, this was not just a tour; we actually got hands-on experience! We helped plant corn by spreading the compost, raking the dirt, and even getting our feet a little dirty by walking on the dirt to compress it! This was by far my favorite coffee tour so far.

When looking at some challenges that this farm has, we can look back to 2020 when Monteverdes economy collapsed. During this time, tourism slowed down, which meant that the farmers had to work overtime. They also need to make sure that they are paying their workers a fair wage ($5) or else they will not show up. One last thing is that they have to worry about what kind of products they are using. They use herbicides to kill the weeds around the coffee plants, but at the same time, those herbicides do harm to more than just the weeds.

Modern life has made farming both more efficient and more difficult. Access to global markets and new technologies means they can do more, but it also means they’re competing against mass production and global pricing. Yet, the Tico spirit is strong. Families band together, and communities like Life Monteverde serve as hubs for education and support. If I were a child of a Tico, I would want to dedicate my life to innovation in sustainable agriculture. I would want to be a part of the next generation that helps Costa Rican farms thrive without having to sacrifice their values or the land. Finally, I’ve learned that community matters because it holds everything together. It supports people when economies fail, it shares solutions when one farmer finds a better way, and it teaches the next generation to care about more than just profit.