Through my visit to Puerto Rico, I have vastly widened my perspective on global issues. The reason for my widened perspective is the greatly differed life style and approach to life. I have been able to witness the other side of where many consumer goods come from. This means analyzing every step in the process and finding out, for example, how coffee can go from the tree to ones’ cup, hence I can appreciate the effort put into every cup of coffee.

One occurrence that really made me think was the plantains, intended to be sent to “Costco”. “Costco” is a band which I have always shopped at. Whenever I shopped there, I gazed up at the large quantities of fruit and many other goods, wondering to myself; how could they have ever go this much fruit here at the perfect time in their life cycle. Through this trip I saw exactly where these fruits came from and witnessed every step in the process. The fruits are carefully maintained in an environment which allows their growth to be at the exact specifications of the perspective buyer. Once they are grown, the fruits are pruned off the tree and carefully hulled to the packaging plant, at which point the ripeness and quality is checked. Next, the fruit is washed and checked for any impurities. Then the stickers are put on the fruit, it is packaged and shipped off.

This process is much more complex than I expected and through this process I learned to rationale for the price of the goods. Prior the learning about the process I may have critiqued the company for paying their workers minimum wage, but judging by this factory tour and the guides statements, they need the pay minimum wage in order to keep a decent profit margin. I must take this lesson and accept the there is more to the world’s problems then what may meet the eye. This means that before critiquing a world problem one should be thoroughly understanding of all aspects of the issue to their deepest extent. In addition, one must be able to view an issue from all standpoints.

The next example occurred at the ‘Café Gran Betey’. During our visit to this coffee farm, we learned how complex and intricate the coffee making process is. Our group walked through the different environmental factors which influence the growth and taste of the bean. With this being said, Daniel, our tour guide, also walked us through the labor factors which limit the production of the farm. It was stated that many Puerto Rican citizens did not care to work all day. This is a result of the government benefits for the unemployed. These unemployment benefits allow for citizens to survive with little to no work. As a result of this the company has to work around the hours the citizens prefer to work, for they will otherwise not work.

In conclusion, my trip to Puerto Rico has helped me realize that there is much more to Global Issues then what meets the eye. This can be supplemented by blanket statements and stubbornness. It is important to consider everything involved in an issue and leave room for compromise. One must realize their place in the world and take that into consideration. It is important to consider cultures when approaching an issue and in order to get a full view of an issue, one should consult someone who lives in the issue on a day to day basis. Through this one will be able to see a problem from another person’s eyes and get their opinion, this will allow on to increase their perspective before judging a global issue.

After touring many different farms in Puerto Rico I have seen that there occur a lot of key differences when looking at the different parts of the agriculture production system in Puerto Rico and the United States that we can discuss in our booths. An obvious difference would be in the type of crops that are grown. In Illinois, the major crops are corn, soybeans and wheat while in Puerto Rico the main ones are coffee, plantain, sugarcane and tropical fruits. Additionally, the growing seasons vary tremendously. Since Puerto Rico maintains a fairly consistent climate all year, some farms have been able to accomplish a year-round growing season allowing more product to be sold. The United States’ seasons are severely shortened by the varying temperatures throughout the year.  The ways these crops are harvested differ between the two places. For example, in the United States there is a machine for harvesting almost every kind of crop while in Puerto Rico most of the produce is collected by hand. Looking at the livestock side of agriculture, there is almost none in Puerto Rico. The livestock is so poor in Puerto Rico that no one wants to have any. Coming from an animal farm, I find the differences in the small amount of livestock that there is fascinating. The fact that these animals can be specifically bred to withstand the heat of Puerto Rico is exceptional to me.

Where Puerto Rico has the edge over the United States is in their agricultural practices that are safer for the environment. Some of the managers of Martex farms explained to us some of the methods that they use to protect the beautiful nature in Puerto Rico. They use a lot of solar and wind energy to power their operation as seen in the picture below. They recycle the poorer quality fruit as feed for their cattle. We observed more techniques at the coffee farms. They let the sun dry their beans to save fossil fuels. Their fertilizer comes from the discarded shells on the beans. It seems that farms in Puerto Rico do not use chemicals that often which is different from most of the farms in the United States. I think that in terms of being environmentally friendly the United States could learn a lot from the farmers in Puerto Rico.

I believe what Martex Farms is doing with the University of Puerto Rico is very important. They are working together to conduct experiments that are going to reduce the amount of nitrogen that they apply. They let us take part in the experiment as seen in the photo below. Experiments like these are imperative because they educate the people of Puerto Rico about agriculture and can help repair the industry in Puerto Rico. A lot of the people of Puerto Rico have a negative view of agriculture because of the poor following it has. This collaboration between Martex and the university is the start of fixing this negative connotation. The same goes for the studies that the University of Illinois is doing as well. They can both help mend the bad reputation that farmers are starting to get in both areas.

While talking to people about our experiences during our study in Puerto Rico, I think it is important to explain how the issues that we are facing in the United States are global issues and not just national issues. Climate change has had some major impacts in both places. In Puerto Rico it is changing the growing seasons for many crops especially coffee. This has resulted in an extreme drop in the amount of crop produced. In Illinois the seasons have differed greatly from year to year by going from droughts to floods or scalding heat to frigid cold which has, in turn, impacted the planting and harvesting of crops. Also, consumer issues are evident in both environments. Both places are fighting the war of local versus commercial food. Knowing that these are shared issues can help reach a solution quicker.

This is my first trip to Puerto Rico, and it definitely has been a great experience, not what I expected, but still great nonetheless. Puerto Rico surprised me in many ways, from terrain to lifestyle. For the first and biggest surprise I experienced, was realizing how mountainous the whole island of Puerto Rico is; I expected the east end with the rain forest would be the only place to find a few mountains. But in reality the mountains sprawl across the middle of the island, this causes there to be a greater diversity in climate than I previously thought existed in Puerto Rico. With the extent of the diversity, there are many different ways to grow the same crop, which I thought the limited space of an island wouldn’t allow for. The biggest example is coffee, I never realized that the elevation would differ so much that the crop had to be grown different ways in various locations on the island. In high elevation you don’t need as much shade because of the cooler temperatures. Meanwhile. at the lower elevations farmers choose to grow foliage to provide shade for the coffee plants, creating the cooler temperatures needed for the coffee to thrive. The cover that some farms plant can be almost anything, some places choosing to plant another, taller crop, which then serves two purposes. I also found it interesting how the process of processing coffee has not really updated that much, at least on a small, quality production scale, the steps are essentially the same. At Hacienda Buena Vista they set their washed beans out to dry on giant shelves, the same way they did it back in the 1800s. At Cafe Gran Batey they had a large oven that dried their beans, but in order to cut costs due to high fuel prices, they built a greenhouse. And in that greenhouse they had long tables and set out their beans to dry, essentially the same thing that Hacienda Buena Vista did in the 1800s. Even though there is the potential for new technology to be utilized, Cafe Gran Batey chooses the process similar to the older ways.

As for lifestyle that surprised me, I expected significantly less fast food places, or I guess I expected more places that would be specific to Puerto Rico and Latin America. But in reality the majority of fast food places I saw, were the exact same as those found in the US. I suppose I had this idea because I forget that Puerto Rico is actually a commonwealth of the US and therefore, I expected it to not have too many similarities. I also found interesting how early shops and stores close in Puerto Rico, I guess I’ve just become accustom to the stores in the states staying open late into the night, that I never considered a grocery store would be closed after dinner. I guess that’s because people have other things to do at night than go grocery shopping. I also thought it was cool that when in El Yunque it wasn’t just for tourist. The visitor center was geared to informing people, and the tours seemed to be more filled with tourists; but the actually hiking to the waterfall seemed like something that families might do as a day trip. I thought that was particularly great to see, because that means that the Puerto Rican people appreciate the rainforest and hopefully will be more apt to help conserve it. But at the same time there was a complete lack of recycling at most food places. So while they might enjoy the rain forest, they’re missing a very easy way to help the environment.

When signing up for this class I really had no idea what to expect of the country of Puerto Rico, my knowledge of agriculture, or even the overall purpose of this course.  In a matter of just a week in this country almost all of these uncertainties have become clear to me.  When I arrived in this country eight days ago I was expected to be greeted by a beautiful rainforest right away, this was not the case due to a mere 2:30 delay.  The morning of the 5^th came and I was awoken with view that I could not have dreamed of in the States.  This is where the journey began and everything became clear to me.

What came with this view was the somewhat impoverished way of living and the hidden beauties behind it all.  I knew this country was having its issues with its economy, but coming from a suburb in North East Ohio where each house has a yard and a long driveway, it was far from what I expected. Also, the agriculture was completely different than what I was used too in both Illinois and Ohio.

Coming to this country and visiting both small scale production coffee farms and the large industry sized fruit production plants has really opened my eyes.  The meticulous methods in both types of plantations was very interesting. The care and technique the Café Grand Bate plantation used was unreal to me. I never would have guess there would be that many steps to get a bean ready to roast. This coming from the guy who didn’t know what a coffee bean looked 3 days ago.  The production and post harvest methods were not difficult to understand, but plantation supervisor Daniel was clearly very knowledgable of his trade and made sure we were aware of all the technicalities and sciences that went along with growing, harvesting, and processing the coffee bean. Whether it was make sure the trees were pruned when they need to be, the beans are in the right temperature and moisture for drying, and even the 12% moisture of the bean when it is roasted.  On a small farm like this it is essential every bit of the coffee plant is used.  Even at the larger Martex farms was incredible about making sure that everything grown was used, even if it was just the unappealing mangos that aren’t sold being used as feed for cattle.  This post harvest use is something I think we can improve on in farms in Illinois.

Something I have noticed while visiting farms here in Puerto Rico is that there is a huge variability of crops. Unlike Illinois which has two main crops of soy bean and corn. In just one farm visit at the Martex Farms we were introduced to plantains, bananas, mangos, papaya, and Spanish lime.  At the coffee plantations we were introduced Arecibo Coffee and Valencia Oranges.  Corn and Soybeans of Illinois are huge exports, unlike the crops produced in Puerto Rico.  Mangos are the main export out of the country while only a small quantity of each of the smaller crops is exported to the United States, Canada, and Europe. The majority is sold locally in Puerto Rico. The selling of locally grown crops in the United States is something that is being stressed recently. Since being in Puerto Rico my knowledge of agriculture has increased greatly. It has allowed me to see how farms function in a tropical climate and learn about crops unfamiliar to the United States. I am hoping the past week visiting farms in Puerto Rico will help me spark an even greater interest in agriculture that I can apply to my education back in Illinois.

A view of Valencia Orange Trees and Coffee Trees at the Cafe Grand Bate plantation.

Coffee beans drying in the greenhouse at Cafe Grand Bate. One of the many stages of the coffee productions.

Michael Romano

Throughout the last week or so here in Puerto Rico, a lot of things have surprised me. One of the first things that surprised me was the distinctive cultural difference between the island and the continental United States. The initial surprise to me was the amount of spanish spoken. I know that Puerto Rico has two official languages, English and Spanish, but I anticipated there would be a lot of people speaking English considering Puerto Rico is a United States Territory. Surprisingly, the wide majority of people on the island primarily speak Spanish. I found it most interesting when I went to a fast food restaurant, and many of the employees couldn’t speak English despite it being an official language of the island. However, I’ve come to realize the reason for this is the strength of the Pu
erto Rican culture. I’m very intrigued by the amount of pride that Puerto Ricans take in their culture, despite still being considered a territory of the United States. But after doing further research into the history of the island, I learned that Puerto Rico was a Spanish territory until the Spanish American War, and therefore I believe that is the reason Spanish influences and the Spanish language is primarily present. Another thing that surprised me about Puerto Rico is their relations with the United States. Puerto Rico has to pay United States federal taxes, despite not being to vote for the President or have a vote in congress. I was also surprised that people born in Puerto Rico are considered United States citizens.

Another aspect of Puerto Rico that surprised me was the geography of the island. Despite the island only being roughly 3500 square miles, there are many geographical differences between areas of the island. Prior to coming to the island, I envisioned a tropical climate with nice beaches and beautiful rainforests. For example, the first area of the island we stayed on was a town called Fajardo. Fajardo met these expectations in the fullest, being located on the northeast side of the island, in between El Yunque National Forest and the coast. This area was predominantly mountains and rainforests. However, after a few days on the Eastern side of Puerto Rico, we traveled the the far Western side of the island to the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez. During this drive, we passed through the southern part of the island around the town of Ponce. This area had a much more arid climate, and was much more dry and hot. I did not expect Puerto Rico to have such a significant area of the island with this climate.

In addition, the food surprised me in PuertoRico. I did not necessarily know what to expect before coming to Puerto Rico in regards to food. However I was pleasantly surprised with the food on the island. The cuisine of the island seems to be a combination of other cuisines from other areas such as Spain, Mexico, and the native culture. There is a variety of fruits, seafood, and other meats. Some of my favorite local foods that I had not had before coming to the island that surprised me were tostones, chicken mofongo, empanadas, and rice and beans. But by far, the chicken mofongo was my favorite of them all. The sweetness of the fried plantains along with the chicken and red pepper may have been some of the tastiest food I have ever had.

Puerto Rico has been full of surprisesand I have enjoyed our time on the island so far and I’m looking forward to our final days on the island. Here is some media I have taken during the trip.

Figure 1: Waterfall in El Yunque National forest that we were able to climb.

Figure 2: Coffee produced at the Cafe Gran Battey that smelled and tasted delicious.

My first time at Puerto Rico has been a blast! I didn’t know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the island. So far we have visited the national rainforest, a beach, Parque de Bomba, two coffee plantations, a commercial farm, and a large waterfall. My favorite part so far was climbing the waterfall that was located at the base of the mountain that our hotel was built on. It is definitely a memory that could not be made back in Illinois.

After spending a week in Puerto Rico I’ve noticed that two major things which are different from Illinois are the food and the terrain. Some major foods of Puerto Rico are sandwiches, mofongo, empanadas, and rice and beans. I’ve enjoyed trying the new foods in Puerto Rico because the cooks/store owners are usually very nice and the food is phenomenal every single time. Some major foods back in the United States include a wide variety of things but I’ve noticed that the food at home doesn’t taste as fresh as what we have eaten here.

A similarity between Puerto Rico and the US is that a lot of the same food can be found in both places. In Puerto Rico I’ve noticed Chinese food, Mexican food, Italian food, and a lot of American food. I expected some American chain restaurants but not as many as I’ve seen on this trip. A difference in the food of Puerto Rico vs the United States are some of the things that are served. In Puerto Rico you can find rice and beans at almost any typical Puerto Rican food stand. It seems that rice and beans along with plantains and toastones are a very major part of Puerto Rican cuisine. In the United States it seems that rice is not as common of a food among the general population.

Puerto Rico and Illinois have almost no similarities in the climate and terrain. The Puerto Rican terrain ranges from a mountain/rainforest region to a low land desert region. Illinois terrain is generally extremely flat with few areas of high elevation. There is also a huge difference in the climates of the two states. Puerto Rico’s climate consists of a wet and dry season. It’s generally extremely warm in Puerto Rico which plays into the way people manage crops and how they try to control how much shade each plant gets. Illinois consists of hot and cold seasons. This extreme change in temperature plays a huge role in determining when crops must be planted and harvested.

My experience visiting both the coffee plantations and the commercial farm taught me a lot about the specifics of farming in Puerto Rico. I learned about how the run off situation in Puerto Rico is different from what the farmer’s deal with in Illinois. In Puerto Rico, unlike Illinois, some crops can be harvested year round. I think that because Puerto Rico has such a great climate for agriculture, they have a lot of potential in using this to their advantage in terms of their economy.

The trip overall has taught me a lot about agricultural production in a different climate region and it has equipped me with knowledge that I would not have been able to gain in any other class. Along with the visits to various production sites I have been able to experience the different geographical locations on the island such as El Yunque and the beaches. As the trip progresses I hope to obtain better Spanish skills and an even better appreciation for the people and the culture of Puerto Rico.

A waterfall we visited at El Yunque national rainforest

A waterfall located near our hotel in the middle of the national rainforest

Hello!

My name is Priya and I am a freshman at UIUC currently in Undeclared Engineering. I am still deciding what I want my major to be, and this is partly because I have a wide variety of interests. Because of this, I will be able to provide some uniqueness to the open booth project. Having some background knowledge on all the fields of engineering, instead of in depth knowledge about ABE, I will be able to provide our team with new and interesting ideas. Being a part of this project will also give me a better understanding of what ABE has to offer and if it is something I can see myself pursuing in the future.

Hi, my name is Jennifer Marten, I’m currently a freshman studying Agricultural and Biological engineering. I believe my role in this class is to bring an honest and innovative opinion to the table. As the whole class works towards completely one poster for Explore ACES and EOH, teamwork is really important. Therefore being honest with one another is important because that way we can limit conflicts and if someone thinks an idea isn’t going to work, then right away the class as a whole can try and find an innovative solution.

Hello, I am Bobbi Toepper and I am a freshman majoring in Agricultural and Biological Engineering with a minor in Animal Science at the University of Illinois. When comparing the agriculture industry in Illinois and Puerto Rico I hope to provide valuable insights. Being raised on a farm in Illinois my whole life I will be able to contribute details about agriculture in Illinois that other people may not know. Also, I have attended Explore ACES before and that was what helped me pick this field of study. I know the kind of audience we will have and what will attract them to our booth and can help create the booth knowing this information. I am excited to be studying here in gorgeous Puerto Rico!