Coffee overview #1

So we went to the Del Cafe Tal (I think) coffee plantation today to check out whats going on.  First off let me say that I enjoyed it thoroughly.  I´m tired of being in this city all day every day... and I loved finally getting out into a more natural area... even though it was a farm.  It was nothing but gorgeous landscape there, and this just excites me to go to the other places we plan on visiting.  Sencondly, we were surprised to learn that we weren´t even supposed to go to this coffee farm.  We were supposed to go to a small one... but luckily we ended up at the plantation that makes the number 1 ranked coffee in Costa Rica.  Of course I bought a pound of it to bring home.  They gave us free coffee and it was absolutely delicious.  I took pictures... hopefully to be posted soon.  

On to the business/school part of things... unreal.

This particular plant... unlike I speculated... actually completed all processes necessary to make the final ground, roasted coffee on the plantation.  They have 7 workers year round, and that number climbs to around 70 during harvesting season.  Due to the fair trade act, these workers are ensured a good pay for the work they do, whereas without the act they could work for hours on end with no sure pay coming to them.  I believe that their coffee used to sell for only a few dollars per pound (our translator wasn´t the best at... translating), but since being voted #1 in Costa Rica, prices soared to $15.00 per pound.  I got it for 10 bucks... unreal.  Their primary customer is of higher status, usually in the United States.  Some is sold in Costa Rica, but only to the richer population, being it is so expensive relative to other prices here.  Their coffee is also one of the top coffees worldwide... being close to Starbucks and decently behind the African coffee that is eaten by animals, shat out (pardon my language... all right not really I don´t care), picked out of said poo, processed further, then sent to extremely high class coffee shops where it can be purchased for about 40 bucks per... cup.  New York people are foolish for ever wanting poo stained coffee.  Del Cafe Tal tried following our program´s advice and going organic several years ago as well.  They were an organic farm for about three years... but their profits increased much less than their costs increased, forcing them to abandon the ec0-friendly organic strategy our course emphasizes.  However, due to this move and perhaps some good fortune, their coffee is more delicious than ever.  

I would also like to note that the owner of the plantation had an unreal old-school Land Rover that I wanted to turf some yards with.  As one of my colleagues pointed out: I would feel compelled to push as much coke as possible if I drove that vehicle.  (Joking of course.)

Burf