Before today, I never really thought about where pineapples come from, I honestly thought they grew in trees. But after visiting an organic pineapple plantation in Sarapiquí and riding through the fields on a tractor tour, I was surprised by how much work goes into growing just one and they indeed do not grow on trees. Pineapples grow close to the ground, and each fruit takes more than a year to mature. The farm we visited uses organic methods, they spray natural repellents made from garlic and chili every few days. They also cover the soil with plastic to prevent erosion and control water, though that plastic has to be reused or recycled later. Pineapples are picked while still green so they can survive shipping and ripen on the shelf, while coffee cherries must be picked only when red and ripe, often requiring multiple visits to the same plant. Though coffee has more processing steps like washing, drying, peeling, roasting, pineapple has to move faster as it has a short shelf life.

Sustainability and worker conditions really stood out during the visit. Organic farming supports biodiversity while touring, we saw birds, bugs, and even monkeys as there are no pesticides. No pesticides means however more fruit is rejected due to pest damage. On average, over 35% of pineapples aren’t sellable. Compared to conventional farms, which grow thousands more pineapples per hectare with the help of chemicals, organic farms sacrifice quantity for quality and environmental health. Still, both coffee and pineapple farms rely heavily on Nicaraguan migrant labor. On this pineapple farm, workers earn around $30 per day and usually rent homes from nearby residents. In contrast, many coffee farms in the highlands provide housing, meals, and even childcare. If I had to choose, I would work on a coffee farm the cooler temperatures, additional support.