A 15 minute drive into the mountainous hillsides north and west of Atenas, Costa Rica is El Toledo, a family-owned and function natural plantation providing excursions specializing in the method of farming, harvesting, processing, drying, roasting, and packaging of the espresso bean.
We occurred upon this tour as it’s a website of 1 one of many few geocaches in the complete nation.
The outline of the geocache from the homeowners, like so a lot of our favourite finds around the globe, is what drew us in:
We visited a small natural espresso plantation close to Atenas referred to as El Toledo. We took the tour and realized lots about this good plantation which is managed by the pleasant household of Gerardo Calderon, the founder and proprietor of the farm. The distinction between common espresso plantations and this plantation is that their espresso manufacturing system relies on the ideology of understanding nature and dealing with it. They introduce various and implementing strategies of conservation which facilitate the manufacturing, but additionally protect and defend the surroundings. They informed and educated us their efforts to grasp the surroundings and work with nature as an alternative of in opposition to it. The primary goal of their method of manufacturing espresso is that they try to reduce the impression on the ecology in order to protect it for the generations to come back. Throughout this tour we not solely realized about producing espresso, but additionally quite a lot of the character of Costa Rica.
So! We booked a tour on-line and ventured up the winding roads (learn this submit for recommendations on driving in Costa Rica) in anticipation of incomes a brand new geocaching memento and studying about natural espresso farming on the identical time.
We arrived a bit late for the tour (once more, learn the submit about driving in Costa Rica) however arrived in time to study in regards to the function of natural farming regionally and globally, with perception into sustainability because it pertains to the economic system and surroundings. Natural espresso farms comprise roughly 1% of the espresso market in Costa Rica and the Calderon household has capitalized on agritourism as a viable income stream. Earlier than embarking on a nature stroll by means of the plantation we sampled several types of espresso (mild, darkish, espresso tea, and even espresso wine) with biscuits and jam.
The strolling portion of the tour begins with a dialogue of how the beans are harvested and dried and the way variations within the course of impression the flavour and well being advantages of the ultimate product. A key differentiator with natural farming, as talked about within the geocache description above, is the interconnectedness between the various crops and animals (people included) in a single habitat.
For instance, as birds eat fruits and bugs their droppings fertilize the soil. Thriving within the soil are turmeric roots. Turmeric roots assist stabilize the soil and forestall in opposition to erosion throughout the wet season. Along with espresso and turmeric, we noticed plantains, vanilla, cinnamon, cocoa, and stevia within the span of fifteen minutes.
The tour begins and ends within the cafe/present store. I bought a bag of darkish espresso as a visit memento and am savoring each drop. We hope you’re keen on this expertise as a lot as we did. For those who go, put on lengthy pants and a hat as we’re nonetheless recovering from some fairly spectacular bug bites.
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We loved two nights Barons Resort in Atenas, however you should utilize this map to discover a venue that most accurately fits your life-style and dimension of your group.
