Organic fungi control
As we explore nature-friendly agricultural practices, we came across lime sulfur preparation—a traditional mix of lime, sulfur, and water boiled together for an hour. This age-old remedy is widely used to prevent fungal growth in various crops. Since coffee leaf rust is one of the biggest threats to coffee plants, and we recently noticed a few active rust spots on our trees, we decided to make our own batch. With our farm still in the early stages of developing biodiversity for natural resistance, this solution felt like a necessary first step.
As novice farmers, we found the process more challenging than it seemed on paper.
First, we had to figure out how to transport 50kg of lime and 30kg of sulfur up to the farm. Our car rarely makes it all the way—too much rain turns the dirt road into mud, and too much sun makes it rough and rocky. In the end, we drove the supplies halfway and carried them the rest on foot.
Once at the farm, we built a fire, boiled fresh mountain water, and added the solid ingredients. We stirred continuously, expecting the chemical reaction that would turn the mix from yellow to red. But nothing happened. The only thing turning red was our skin, burning under the midday sun.
Perplexed, we turned to YouTube tutorials, which made it look effortless, offering no troubleshooting advice. The only issue we could think of was the wind—maybe the fire didn’t burn hot enough? So, we tried again in a more sheltered spot. Still, nothing.
With no clear answers, we reached out to Paocos, the organic agriculture association in San Agustín, who had first introduced us to lime sulfur. They immediately spotted the problem—the lime we had used was for construction, likely containing added chemicals. We switched to a coarser, lighter lime, and within 45 minutes, we had our sulfur concentrate.
Finally, we diluted it with fresh water and spent two full days spraying it across the farm. Climbing up and down steep slopes left us with blistered feet, sunburns, and countless mosquito bites. Farm work is exhausting, but nothing beats the deep, restorative sleep that follows a long day in the fields!
This is just the beginning—trial and error will guide the way. We're excited to have it ready, and we like to think that the extra effort and resilience put into making it will also find their way into our soil!