Organic, Shade-Grown Coffee

     If you're feeling like a cup of coffee that is full of complex and beautiful flavors, maybe you should look into these farms and the beans they grow and sell.  More and more coffee shops and suppliers are starting to use the coffee beans from these farms.  Sadly, the amount of shade-grown coffee beans that are circulating through the market make up approximately 1% of current industry sales.  Not only is this the natural way of growing coffee beans since they generally cannot withstand direct heat from the sun, it's a lot easier to obstain from using herbicides or pesticides. 
     Natural, shade-grown coffee farms provide a natural habitat for birds.  These birds help with the control of pests.  What started to happen several decades ago was the creation of a hybrid coffee where it could withstand direct sunlight.  Because of this, farmers started to clear the surrounding trees, which in turn started to destroy the habitat for the birds that foraged for the pests that overwhelm any crop.  You can probably guess what I'm going to say next, here come the pesticides.
     When it comes to our food, no one wants to buy product from a farm that uses pesticide so why would you want it on your coffee?  A common misconception is that once you roast your coffee beans, any chemical that may have been used will be taken care of.  Why assume that it's taken care of and just buy from shade-grown farms where the use of pesticides is never a concern.  While they can be a little difficult to find and slightly higher in cost per pound, it's definitely well worth the effort.
    Through a lot of the research that I've done, the most common benefits are:

                                     Helps Sustain Rainforests
                                     Supports Bird Habitats and Biodiversity
                                     Supports a Healthy Environment
                                     Healthier Consumption
                                     Taste

     Of course the last benefit is what the average coffee drinker is looking for.  Even though the largest coffee shop chain in the world is playing a part in helping reverse unsound coffee growing practices, I simply do not care for the taste of their product.  That's an important point to keep in mind, even though you find a great farm, the beans can always be over-roasted and destroy the flavor.  This is a no brainer in my opinion.  Shade-grown coffee is better for the environment and surrounding habitats.  It's also easier to maintain and costs less to operate, it's better for our bodies, and most importantly, the taste is far superior to sun exposed crops.
     Here's a list of a few shade-grown coffee farms:

                                     Selva Negra Estate
                                     Finca Rosa Blanca
                                     Yasmin Coffee Plantation
                                     Asobagri
                                     Hacienda Carabobo of the Cisneros-Phelps Family
                                     Finca Ceylan y Anexos