Originally, coffee was farmed under the shade of standing trees, providing animal habitats. This is an older method of growing coffee, and one that produces a higher quality product, with richer, milder flavors. However, the yield is lower and coffee berries under the shade ripen slowly. This is why many farmers have switched to sun cultivation.

Unfortunately, cultivating coffee in full sun also requires more pesticides, more water, more fertilizer and causes greater erosion. Deforestation is much greater with this method, as well. Traditional shaded methods are more environmentally friendly, and can help preserve the local land and water. This is why more people are starting to look into shade grown and “bird friendly” organic coffees, which are sustainably grown and harvested.

While shade growing compares poorly to native forest in terms of habitat value, it allows coffee growing to have a lower impact on the environment, producing a crop that’s less damaging to the world around us and healthier to consume, too. Shade grown coffee farms provide a moderate climate for plants and fertilizer for the soil from their dropped leaves. Organic shade grown coffee often uses composted coffee pulp and crop rotation to enrich the soil, providing a more sustainable method of growing.

There are many different methods of growing coffee in the shade. For instance, in small rustic farms, the forest is hardly altered at all, providing seventy to a hundred percent shade cover. Using traditional polyculture methods that mix planted and natural trees, cover is about sixty to ninety percent. However, commercial polyculture offers only thirty to sixy percent shade cover, in order to grow more coffee on less land, while shaded monoculture can offer only ten to thirty percent shade cover. Even these are more environmentally friendly than a sun farm, which offers none of the trees that migratory birds and other animals rely on.

Shade grown organic coffee is also better for workers who, with the help of the shade, don’t have to work in high temperatures and direct sun. Heat related health conditions are less likely to occur, and work on the farms is more pleasant. Most shade growing operations are also organic and/or Fair Trade, providing plenty of other benefits, too. Chemical use is reduced or eliminated, and wages high enough to support local communities are offered, making shade grown organic coffee an excellent choice. If you love coffee, take the time to check out shade grown types. They’re definitely worth your while.