After two weeks of exploring Costa Rica’s farms. We become aware of a lot of the important policies Costa Rican farms have implanted to balance sustainable practices in their businesses. On the farm, planning begins with sustainable land use and crop layout. Farms we visited grew coffee, bananas, or pineapples didn’t just plant at random….
Tag: Zachary Call
Bars and Beans: Costa Rica’s Gourmet Scene
Today was our chocolate tasting day! We visited Sibö Chocolate, a small gourmet chocolate company, I admired how they try to mix Costa Rican history into their chocolate. We learned that chocolate, like coffee, originate before colonization, imbedded in native tradition. It was first consumed as a bitter drink believed to have medicinal benefits. Indigenous…
From Crops to Shops, the Growth Never Stops
Today we set off to visit two small family owned farms, the owners taught us how agriculture, sustainability, and community all connect in Costa Rica. Our first stop was a banana farm run by Francini, an entrepreneur who’s using agrotourism to teach visitors about eco friendly farming. Her farm, surrounded by tropical plants and wildlife…
The Pina Colada Supply Chain
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…
Life Finds a Farm
Today we visited Life Monteverde, a coffee farm and sustainability education center that gave us an inside look at what life is like for a Tico farmer. It quickly became clear just how determined and hard working these farmers are. Every aspect of the farm was thought out to be as sustainable as possible, it…
Balancing Green Goals in Monteverde
Today we hiked through the Monteverde cloud forest, a place unlike anywhere I’ve ever been. Walking through a cloud, we saw rare birds, insects, and even spider monkeys. Seeing the spider monkey and tarantula were definitely the highlights for me. The cool, misty air and dense green landscape made it easy to understand why people…
Through Towns and Trees to Mountain Breeze
Today we traveled up into the mountains on our way to Monteverde, and the change in scenery was really noticeable. We left behind the city streets and saw small rural communities, farms, and a lot of animals along the way. Some parts felt very traditional, while others showed signs of tourism and outside influence. The…
Coffee, Capitalism, and Salsa
A day full of coffee and Salsa! Our next stop in our Costa Rica adventure was Cafe Britt. Britt is a coffee company that profits from the final steps in the coffee industry, roasting, packaging, marketing , and shipping. The company’s attracts a lot of attention from tourists, with a large majority of their profits…
I Came, I Picked, I got Caffeinated
Today our third day on the trip we finally got to experience one of the main attractions of Costa Rica, coffee! Coffee being the main motivator not for me but my parents for the trip. They were very eager on sending me to Costa Rica, using me as their mule to buy fresh Costa Rican…
Green Streets of Heredia
Today was our first day of exploring Costa Rica. We started the day with walking through the city of Heredia. We learned of the city’s history and culture. The main attractions being the churches, parks and market. I was expecting a more European style city however the Heredia was much smaller and communal than I…
Ready for Costa Rica
Hi! My name is Zachary Call, and I’m a first-year Industrial Engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering. I’m also a cadet in the ROTC program and a German speaker with a strong interest in global business. I enjoy hiking, travel, and gaining personal and professional experiences. For my Plus3 program,…