After the inaugural ceremony where the people of Tamborapa recognized Frontier for its contribution, Rick and I were approached by a large group of children with bright eyes and wide smiles. Organic coffee is better for both the environment and the coffee farmers. It keeps chemicals out of the soil, water, and air, preserves bio-diversity, and protects forests and wildlife. In this photo, you can see an example of how farmers grow coffee organic-ally. These coffee trees are grown under a tall canopy of leguminous shade trees that are native to the area.
Coffee naturally likes to grow in the shade.
They eliminate the need for synthetic fertilizers. They take nitrogen from the air and put it into the soil, providing nourishment for the coffee trees. They eliminate the need for chemical herbicides. The shade trees drop their leaves, which form a nice ground cover. The fallen leaves block the sunlight from reaching the ground, preventing weeds from growing.