02.
Coffee plantation tour
We invite you to learn
more about shade grown coffee, the traditional
way of growing coffee beans, in an interactive
and enchanting way. After a short trip from Copán
Ruins, the finca Santa Isabel offers this once
in a lifetime “hands on” experience.
Here you will learn all
about shade grown coffee, beginning with the plant
nursery where young coffee plants are grown and
as we continue our hike up the mountains through
the exuberant green plantation under magnificent
trees, we will show you the harvesting and finally
the processing of this bean.
Conventional, "modern"
coffee plantations are replacing wildlife habitat,
and the population of songbirds across North and
South america is in significant decline. "Shade
grown" coffee, the traditional method of
coffee farming, offers a promising alternative.
Benefits of this alternative way of growing coffee
beans include: the better taste due to the natural
sugar that increases its flavor, it is healthier
as it is more often organically grown, it helps
in protecting the environment as less or no chemical
fertilizers are needed, it provides bird habitat
and greater biodiversity and helps to sustain
rainforests.
Traditionally, all coffee
was shade grown. However, many growers cut their
shade trees and switched to the new varieties
developed in the seventies. unfortunately, these
new varieties came with an additional cost: soil
erosion, water runoff and soil depletion caused
producers to clear vast tracts of rainforest for
new soil to plant, and it became apparent that
this new method of growing coffee was unsustainable.
That is why the traditional way of growing beans
that can be observed at the finca Santa Isabel
has been reinforced and clear land has been transformed
into shade grown coffee plantations. As shade
coffee farms support over 150 species of birds
you will also have the opportunity to watch birds
and to take amazing jungle photos as you hike
the different trails. During our lunch break,
you will have the opportunity to enjoy both the
typical honduran food and this peaceful place.
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