January 20, 2011

A travelogue from Jenn Burns ‘12

Coffee beans as they are picked from the trees.

A coffee farm is nothing like I had imagined. Coffee is able to grow at a 90-degree angle with the earth, surviving where I thought no life could grow. I know this because I furiously move my feet in hope of chancing on some small foothold in this mountain of mud. When I stand on the hillside, I can reach my hand straight out and touch the land -- it is that steep. I finally emerge on the ridge, the top of the coffee farm, to a beautiful view of at least a third of all of Costa Rica.

Day 1: I am researching the differences between organic and conventional coffee farms in Costa Rica as the final portion of my study abroad program. I compared organic and conventional coffee using an ecological index - a system that quantitatively measures a farm's soil, stored carbon, and biodiversity. Most of my time was spent walking the perimeter of the farm, creating the necessary one hectare research plot, and then usually remaking the plot as it was never perfect. I emerged from our first day in the field and felt "like I had been birthed from the coffee," as fellow researcher Eunice eloquently described.

Day 2: Again, my feet are sliding - no surprise, as I have taken the path much, much less traveled to ensure proper GPS tracking. To lower myself with at least a wee bit of control, I grabbed hold of bare trunked Caña India, the common vegetative border between organic and conventional farms. Whew - one body length lower and, again, I was sliding. I lunged forward to grab hold of the next sturdy Caña India to stop my momentum. Tricked! This tree I just threw my body weight towards was a very similar looking tree, but with one, critical difference - thorns protrude from its bark. My hands instantly began to swell.

Day 3: Coffee pickers, almost entirely Nicaraguan migrant workers, were at the farm today. We began our research just one week after Nicaragua invaded Costa Rica over a border dispute. Some Costa Ricans feel that this situation is evidence that Costa Rica, after more than 60 years without any military forces, should reinstitute their army. Others are terrified of the instability and irrationality of Nicaragua. Most are intrigued, but more or less ignore the situation, writing it off as another of President Ortega's shenanigans to distract from the real problems in his country. It's a particularly dangerous state of affairs as there are deep racial tensions that lie just below the surface.

Day 5: Today, I listened. The sound of a coffee farm, one being intently scrutinized by 9 loud gringos and a German, is not the sound of nature. As each person collected samples, identified trees, or meticulously measured coffee plants, there were random bursts of noise. Partners exchanged information across the farm, yelling, "leeeeaaaaffff liiitttttter" or "broad-leafed heeeeerbs". With the most regularity we heard, "Where are you?" screamed as loud as possible. If there is a response at all, it is usually unhelpful as the only landmarks are coffee and large trees.

Jenn Burns '12

The organic farmers I met in the central valley believe wholeheartedly in what they are doing. One farmer whose field we surveyed switched from conventional to organic eight years ago after being hospitalized from a chemical he used to apply to his fields. It is now banned from the market due to its toxicity; he now uses no chemicals. He says, "Organic farming is not about making a profit; it is a way of life."

About 40 percent of coffee farms in Costa Rica are certified something (Rainforest Alliance, sustainable, etc.), but only one percent are certified organic. How is the consumer supposed to distinguish between these countless certifications? Visually, it was obvious. Both organic farms we studied were bordered by conventional farms. It was like night and day; you could easily see where one farm ended and the next began. The organic farm had lots of trees, healthy soil, and the ground was covered by grasses and herbs. The conventional farm was dead.

Although I gained a greater appreciation for coffee, I think that I am further than ever from understanding the coffee craze in the United States. It would be hard to find a food that people are more removed from than coffee. I thought I knew a lot about coffee, as I was well-versed in the various related social issues and economic intricacies, but I had no idea. Picking a coffee bean myself taught me more than any book ever could.

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