Informant38

Made In The Shade The result is a lessened if not non-existent need for chemical fertilizers and herbicides.
The shade trees can also act as an economic buffer for the coffee farmer. Earlier we pointed out the varying layers and types of shade trees employed on small farms in Nicaragua and Mexico. Frequently, the lowest layer will be citrus, avocado, and banana trees, which provide not only food for the family, but frequently allows for excess to be sold at local produce markets. The upper shade story, meanwhile, is typically composed of native hardwood trees or large nitrogen-fixing leguminous trees, is an other economic resource. As these trees are thinned and pruned throughout the year, their branches and timber area source of fuel and cooking wood, fencing material, and a viable source of timber for building and construction purposes. In times of low coffee prices, clearly, the presence of the shade trees is integral in the economic survival of the small farmer.