Today we visited Life Monteverde. We learned a lot about the life of the farmers on the site and even more about the intricacies of farming coffee. I was happy to learn more about the engineering side of farming and how they have adapted and used biomaterials to benefit their crops. Our tour guide, Evelyn, educated us on the bio fertilizer used on the coffee trees and other plants on the farm. She went into great detail on the different plants and dairy products used in the bio fertilizer to create an enticing environment for microorganisms and that is conducive to plant growth. In addition, she explained how they use the various plants and animals to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that mimics a natural biological growth and decay cycle. They accomplish this by creating a diverse environment with different types of crops to provide a healthy soil and an ecosystem where animals and the crops can have a mutualistic relationship. I also learned how they micro produce different strands of arabica to sell specific types and flavors.

We learned a lot about the coffee farmers and went into more personal details about their lives and what impacts them. We learned that during the pandemic, many farmers lost their jobs due to the lack of tourism and demand for products, but at Life Monteverde, no farmers were laid off, and instead, they gave online tours of the farm. I also learned that there are other differences between the farmers in Monteverde as opposed to Heredia. For example, they are paid more for a number of reasons. The main reason they are paid more is because the seasons, climate, and ecosystem in Monteverde differ from Heredia, and as such, the peak season for coffee can vary, and they want to make sure the pickers collect the quality coffee cherries year-round. Another important reason is that they want the pickers to be happy, and they do this by paying them $5 per cajuela, housing them, and feeding them. I think the Life tour was my favorite out of all of the coffee farm tours, and I look forward to learning more about the other farms in Costa Rica.