Electric blue butterflies as large as birds glide through the dewy rainforest. Sacred Ceiba trees, some as old as 300 years, touch low-hanging clouds as troops of mischievous spider monkeys swing from branch to branch. Watch out, one of them may steal that freshly plucked banana from your hand. Follow the stream lined with tropical flowers to the main farmhouse. When you’re greeted with a cup of freshly made espresso, take it. You won’t be sorry.
No, you’re not dreaming and yes, we promise we’re not making this up. There’s only one word to describe Hacienda La Amistad, the Costa Rican farm where we source our crave-worthy, soft and chewy Organic Banana Slices: Magical.
It’s not an accident that Mother Nature and the many animals she hosts (humans included) are thriving in harmony here. Of Hacienda La Amistad’s 4,000 acres, 70 percent is protected primary rainforest; the other 30 percent has been cultivated with intention and vision. Acres of sustainably grown organic green coffee plants with red berries and white flowers pepper the farm like miniature Christmas trees. Above them, large banana plants, also grown with love, shield the plants from the sun.
You see, La Amistad is primarily a coffee farm. The banana trees were planted as a way to keep the plants cool, which has become increasingly difficult for coffee farmers due to climate change. That’s not all, the banana’s permanent canopy, root systems and mulch help to prevent soil degradation. Banana trees also help mitigate climate change by capturing CO2 and enriching the soil’s natural carbon stocks.
When we discovered an organic, sustainable farm putting Mother Nature first to deliver superior, delicious products, we knew that Made In Nature and Hacienda La Amistad were made to be partners like well … coffee and bananas.
It is not just La Amistad’s growing practices that make us swoon, it is the many ways this farm is dedicated to sustainability in all its operations. From burning bean husks and plant trimmings to roast the coffee, to the rainwater powered generator, to the planned installation of a methane gas pond that will also generate power, to the compost shed that fertilizes the plants and feeds the cattle, to the rainforest preservation project and beyond, this farm is the epitome of ‘sustainable’.
That’s not all, La Amistad employs and supports over 100 indigenous families. Made In Nature, in partnership with La Amistad works to provide consistent employment, educational support, and basic care for the families who work the farm.
So, in case you were wondering just what is that special something that makes our bananas so delicious, yes, it’s that they ripen on the vine and dry naturally in the sun, but it’s also the love, care, and consideration that infuses the land where they grow – secret ingredients we believe you can taste as well as feel in each chewy, caramelly bite.
