After spending two weeks in Costa Rica I have gained a deep understanding of the tropical agricultural supply chain. Specifically I focused on the sourcing processes of each of these steps and how it affects the final product. All of the crops we studied start the same, as a seed in the ground on the…
Tag: Ariston Goeke
The Sweet Taste of Sustainability at Sibö
Today was amazing! As a chocolate lover the tasting tour at Sibö was truly one of a kind. Our tour guide walked us through the history of chocolate and with each period we tried a different version of chocolate that reflected its evolution. He highlighted the different processes used to produce a great piece of…
Agrotourism on Small Farms
Today we visited two small organic and sustainable farms, what stood out most was the variety of crops. These small farms didn’t specialize in one plant, but instead focused on a couple. They grow bananas, cocoa, pepper corn, mango, turmeric and vanilla. Each plant has its own unique process of growing and harvesting method to…
From Plant to Piña Colada: My Pineapple Paradise
Today was my favorite tour yet because it included pina coladas and fresh pineapple. We visited an organic pineapple plantation that has been running since 2008. They harvest around 20,000 kilos of pineapple per week and export them to stores and other countries. What I found most interesting was the stark contrast between the coffee…
Grounds for Change
Today we had a unique coffee visit to the Life Monteverde farm. We learned the reason why they continue to farm the land while most of the other farmers have decided to build hotels or other attractions on their land to support the touristy economy. We learned yesterday of the importance of balancing economic and…
Swinging Between Conservation and Growth
Today I finally was able to experience the surreal hike through the cloud forest. My group and I saw rare birds, unique insects and even spider monkeys swinging through the trees. I can understand why George Powell along with other conservationists wanted to keep the cloud forest protected from deforestation and other threats. In all…
Monteverde: Where Jaguars, Quakers, and I Collide
As we traveled from the bustling town of Heredia to the rural mountain side of Monteverde, I watched the townhouses turn into farms, which then turned into jungle. When I first arrived in Heredia, I was surprised by the silence and tranquility of the area, but now, sitting here in Monteverde, it is even more…
I Came for the Coffee, Stayed for the Salsa
Today we visited another coffee farm run by Cafe Britt. The same parent company owns both Cafe Britt and the Doka farm from yesterday, but they have two different purposes. Cafe Britt focuses solely on roasting and distributing coffee beans, while Doka handles the entire process and even sells some of its unroasted beans to…
Coffee and strawberries with a mix of thunderstorms
Today we visited both the Doka coffee bean plantation and a strawberry farm. Although both of the fruits can be served at breakfast there harvest, production and distributing systems have similarities, but also have many differences. Both of the farms were located at a higher altitude compared to where we were staying, this was extremely…
First Day in Costa Rica
As I ran through the streets of my small neighborhood early this morning, the first thing I noticed was I was out of shape! The mixture of high altitude and humidity really challenged me and made me realize I’m not in Pottstown anymore. As the day went on my perception of Costa Rica changed. The…
Pottstown to Costa Rica
Hi, I’m Ariston Goeke, I’m from Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and just finished my freshman year in the business school. I enjoy anything outdoors, including hiking, biking, and camping. I love to try new things, specifically foods from new cultures, which I can hopefully bring home and cook for my friends and family. As the Costa Rica…