Visiting the organic coffee plantation last Thursday was a much-needed educational experience for me. I had only understood organic farming as not using fertilizers, but Thursday I learned there are many more benefits from it. The most important for me was learning how organic farming remove the role of mega companies from agriculture and keep more of the profit local. Since fertilizer is not needed, that money is not paid to huge agrochemical companies, but instead the farm needs more labor to make up for the lack of chemical fertilizers. Therefore, more locals are hired to complete this labor, keeping the profit of the farm localized. Local profit is enough in itself for me to support and buy organic products. The big companies have enough money already! The only potential change that needs follow is the removal of the organic companies that Gerardo’s farm sells 80% of its coffee to. This large company acts as a middleman and takes profit from the local organic farms.
Lastly, I also learned today that coffee DOES taste good. So good! I had no idea. Now I only hope I don’t get addicted to the caffeine!
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