Coffee: it’s the second most valuable trade commodity in the world, surpassed only by oil. Coffee exports alone are a nearly 20 billion dollar industry per year, with coffee sales worldwide valued at over $100 billion. There are some 70 coffee-producing countries in the world, 39 of which account for over 97% of the world’s […]
The dramatic increase in the demand for coffee has had a profound effect on growing methods, as farmers are now being pressured to produce larger and larger quantities of beans. Traditionally, coffee beans have been grown using the shade-grown method, however this generally does not provide enough product to meet market demands. Farmers have since […]
There are a variety of organic farmingmethods that can be used once the decision is made to farm organically. One simple way to describe organic farming practices is that organic farming uses methods which are preventative rather than reactive. The need for chemicals and pesticides are eliminated when precautionary actions are made before the problem […]
The certification process to become recognized as fully-organic in Costa Rica is both intense and lengthy. When we toured La Bella Tica, Oldemar told us a little about the certification process that he had to go through to be able to be a certified organic, shade grown coffee farm. It is a long and gruelling […]
According to ”The Ecological Benefits of Shade Grown Coffee” (Rice, 2010) The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) states that they can now make the case that shade grown coffee production is the next best thing to having a natural forest. By studying the effects of shade grown coffee versus sun grown coffee, the SMBC was […]
Oldemar’s coffee farm, La Bella Tica, was originally a part of the Santa Luis food co-op. There were 28 families who for 20 years farmed a portion of the land. After the co-op went bankrupt ten years ago, the farmers were forced to continue on their own with no assistance. Oldemar’s 50 hectare farm was […]
Oldemar explained that there are over 50 different parts of the coffee-making process from planting to an actual cup of coffee. Every part of the process must be completed carefully to preserve the taste of the coffee. Oldemar grows his coffee plants with a shade-growing technique. This means that there are other trees and plants […]
Challenges: A big problem on Oldemar’s farm is a fungus called Coffee Rust. The fungus caused him to lose a lot of his crop this year. It grows in warm and humid weather, which has been amplified in this region by climate change. He has a few plants which are resistant to the Coffee Rust […]
Oldermar’s coffee farm provides a quintessential example of sustainable and organic farming practices, and serves as a great model for others to follow. While it’s true that there is no definitive right or wrong way to farm, the practices that are being put in place by Oldemar and many others in Costa Rica are undeniably […]