Traveling differently
My organic certification adventure in Papua New Guinea
In this short excerpt from the life of the virblatt founders, I want to take you to Papua New Guinea - a country full of untouched nature, exotic cultures and fascinating traditions.
My journey took me deep into the dense rainforests and remote villages of this diverse island nation to verify the organic certification of local coffee producers and processors. Did you know that 839 different languages and dialects are spoken here?
In the mountain villages I met the locals whose lives are closely intertwined with nature. I was deeply impressed by their deep-rooted traditions and knowledge of the local flora and fauna. The villagers welcomed me with a warmth rarely found in the hectic modern world. They shared their stories, customs and everyday life with me and showed me how they have lived and worked in harmony with their surroundings for generations.
Coffee is the only cash crop the farmers have here (besides a bit of grass). It is 100% planted in casuarina forests in the highlands. The forests are planted so that the coffee trees have the necessary shade. At the same time, forests provide a great microclimate and prevent soil erosion and landslides. That's a win-win!
The person who summed it up best was my mom. So here is a text from her with a few more pictures:
"The adults are just up to his shoulders. Some of the children had never seen a white man before and were constantly touching his skin and running noisily after him.
At lunch they shared the baked sweet potatoes and taro at Bamboo. They carried him on his back across the mountain stream so that he didn't have to take off his shoes. You who don't wear shoes at all. They pat him on the back and marvel that he was able to keep up in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Little people with big hearts..."
Just like you, Mom. Thank you & love you
