Journey to Costa Rica

In 2008 I got a call form Starbucks saying I had won a contest. Huh? I did? I enter contests from time to time, so I don't always remember what I enter. I was told I had won a trip for one to Costa Rica. A trip for one? Isn't that usually for two? Not in this case.

Starbucks in partnership with Earthwatch Institute awarded all-expense paid trips to 10 people to go to the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica to "assist" with research they were doing with coffee growers in the region. I had to get approval for the trip from three sources: work, the doctor and Mark. The first two were the easy part. Go ahead and tell your spouse you're going on a trip to Costa Rica without them, and see how pleased they are. Mark did understand that this was a once in a lifetime trip, and he gave me his blessing. Off I went.

I met some amazing people on the trip. Winners were a combination of average coffee joes like me and Starbucks employees. Some of us weren't quite sure remembering entering this contest(we did).

If you haven't been to a coffee growing region, it is amazing.

You are in high elevations, very mountainous terrain, and lots of rain(at least during the time of year we were there).

Data Entry Afternoons

So what did we do? Every morning, we got up at around 5:00-5:30, had breakfast, then headed out to an area, and we counted coffee cherries, or we looked at the distance between plants, or we checked organic plants, or any number of things which involved us jotting down data. In the afternoon the rains came, and we were in the lab entering all our data. In short, we were free help for Earthwatch, but we didn't mind one bit.

The people of the community were warm and friendly. Every day a family brought us lunch or dinner. I don't think I have ever had so many black beans in my life. Their food and generosity were outstanding.

The people we met were always willing to talk to us about their lives. We were helping farmers who are part of a cooperative. The cooperative negotiates fair payments for the coffee grown. Monies paid are given to the families over the course of a year, so there is always a constant flow of revenue for the farmers. The cooperative also provides educational programs which help the farmers and their families. Health care programs are also provided to the farmers.

Roasting Time

The negotiated prices for the farmers will more often than not, be a better price for their coffee than if they negotiated on their own. Also, companies such as Starbucks, or other specialty roasters can work with these groups to develop higher quality coffee. Earthwatch helps with this, and helps them create more sustainable growing practices.

During the two weeks were were there, you see coffee from cherry to finished product. We visited the roasting plants. We got to participate in cuppings. We got to drink LOTS of coffee.

Cupping

Cuppings are fascinating, because there is a purpose to them, but looks ceremonial at the same time. The point of the cupping is to check the quality of the roasted coffee. It needs to smell, taste  and have the consistency you are striving for during the roasting process.

As I said we got to drink lots of coffee.....and it was GOOD! Safe to say that coffee from this part of the world is my favorite coffee. Admittedly, the taste includes the wonderful memories I have of that experience. That aside, Tarrazu coffee is some of the best coffee in the world....in my humble opinion.

An amazing experience furthered my love of coffee, and my fueled my desire to learn more.





Charlie