i Patrick W. Staib Anthropology This dissertation is approved, and it ...

This was a drawn-out affair; since I did not want to come off as a disinterested data
monger, I would spend ample time at each house. This was also a good way to present
my research and myself to the community. One community elder, Don Victor Lagos,
thanked me at the end of my survey for not simply conducting a brief visita de medico
(doctor’s visit) and instead taking the time to get to know him.
During my two years in the field I met many small farmers from San Juan and the
surrounding area through my work with the UCA Cooperative, as well as many
community and local, or base-level co-op 12 leaders. On most occasions, I would ask
farmers a series of questions regarding their opinions on cooperative organization. I have
documented the responses of 181 small-scale coffee farmers’ opinions and attitudes
towards cooperative organization and alternative production.
The most useful method of data collection was casual conversation and note-
taking in the field. Whether on the farms, meeting at the co-op, driving around, or sitting
at the Bar Amigo, I kept a notepad and paid close attention. Gaining rapport and
confianza with the farmers of Las Grietas required a genuine relationship with and
personal investment in the community. Throughout this project, I placed great value on
forging lasting personal relationships and trust in order to understand how the coffee
industry works for the small farmers of San Juan and San Juaneños in general.
Having access to a reliable vehicle proved to be an excellent way to interact with
farmers, especially those who needed transport for their coffee or rides to other towns. In
one case, the UCA-San Juan cooperative administration invited me to participate in a
12 “Base-level” is a translation for the Spanish term “cooperativas de base (base-level
cooperatives).” These are local or community based farmer-owned co-operatives that
then join a larger export, credit and service co-operative union.
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