Shade grown gourmet coffee

Shade grown coffee magically creates some of the best tasting gourmet coffees. By definition, shade grown coffees are simply coffee beans grown beneath a natural canopy of trees, not on cleared land. The natural surrounding of trees besides giving shade also provides a habitat for birds that feed on insects eliminating the use of pesticides and enrich and conserve the soil. 

Shade trees such bananas, plantains eucalyptus and indigenous trees provide a canopy of protections of day-long sunlight from the coffee plants. The canopy prevents the sun from bleaching nutrients from the topsoil. The base and roots of the trees also prevent soil erosion. Some farmers mix in other types of farm trees such as bananas and plantains to help supplement their farm income while providing the side benefit for the coffee plants and the environment. 

The shade grown coffee designation can apply to commercial or gourmet coffee, but is found more frequently in gourmet coffee farms. Commercial growers are focus more on quantity rather than quality. The commercial varieties that are used by the major coffee brands found in supermarkets are lower grade coffees that include the inferior Robusta beans and are purchases on world markets for the lowest available price. These coffees do not take into consideration environmental consideration and are raised and sold purely to make a high profit.

Shade grown gurmet coffee contributes to the protection of natural habitats and tropical rain forests conservation in countries where coffee is produced. The natural harmony of the canopy trees provide a balanced environment that is rewarded with a superior gourmet coffee flavor, the elimination of the need to use pesticide due to the birds that inhabit the trees and the maintenance of fertile soil that can be use year after year. This is the proper method that coffee plants where intended to farmed.

Our gourmet coffee farmers that supply Costa RicaGourmet Coffee are all active in the farming of shade grown coffee in Costa Rica. Each year we visit our farmers to check the quality of the operation which includes ensuring that shade grown coffee practices are employed. The photos you see on this page are from our coffee farm inspections that took place last summer in 2008.