Coffee

As displayed in my other blogs, coffee is a very important part of many peoples lives in Costa Rica. I never would have thought that coffee production would be so prevalent.

On our many bus rides around the country, we´ve been able to see the different types of plants being grown and how they are being grown. It has been interesting to notice and learn how coffee growth is different at different alititudes and climate zones. We were able to visit a plantation that requires less work due to the climate conditions which is beneficial to the soils and surrounding environment. We´ve also passed several fields where shade screens were built over the plants to create optimal growth conditions in sunnier climates. In this case, environmental degredation is potentially much more prevalent.

It will be enjoyable to notice more about coffee once we return to the US. I know that I will pay closer attention to the details and be able to explain the differences between organic and nonorganic. Learning about coffee in Costa Rica has been a very beneficial experience.