Cuba's Sustainable Food Revolution in Photos
It's been nearly 60 years since Americans could freely travel to the island nation of Cuba, but as relations between the two countries thaw, U.S. tourists are expected to be visiting the so-close-yet-so-far tropical paradise in record numbers any day now. What they'll find, food-wise, will come as a pleasant surprise: Despite–or rather because of–the hardships of the past decades, Cuban farmers and chefs have turned sustainability into a point of pride, reinventing their culinary culture along lines that groove nicely with both the environment and the long-term needs of Cuba's diners. Visiting Cuban farmers, chefs, and sustainable pioneers to get a perspective of the island's sustainable revolution from the inside, here is some of what we saw.
1/18A Look at Old Havana
Old Havana stretches out into the distance on a sunny day. The Cuban city's seen a revolution in its sustainable-eating habits over the past couple decades, attributed to its rediscovery of traditional, organic farming methods.
2/18Taming the Terrain
Growing sustainable in Cuba includes making use of the natural terrain, including hillsides, like at Finca Marta, an organic farm that grows about 25 different crops. Food and farming in Cuba has always been about finding a balance with the island's natural elements.
3/18A Farmer's Work
Finca Marta farmhands tend to some work while still wearing their beekeeping hats. Most of the work on the farm is done by hand, ensuring more self-sustainability than factory farms and providing better quality to its customers.
4/18House of Shade
Sustainable farming also means knowing the environment, including when it's necessary to protect young plants from the intense Cuban sun. Another sustainable farm, Alamar uses greenhouses to keep younger crops healthy until they're ready to be moved outdoors.
5/18Just Add Water
Bags of seedlings are ready to be planted at Alamar. The plants will go from seed to plate–raised with sustainable methods that make sense for the Cuban environment.
6/18I Speak Chive
Rows of organically grown chives rise up at Alamar, which will likely end up at a local restaurant to be used.
7/18Lettuce Be Thankful
By not planting too much of one crop in one place, farmers are able to avoid pests. Here, organic romaine prospers in the fields at Alamar.
8/18Service with a Smile
With the growth of sustainable farms, produce sellers can be found all across the city now. A street vendor in the upscale Vedado neighborhood of Havana offers fruits for sale from his street cart.
9/18Onions for Sale
A street vendor shows off his onions in Havana. Much of the grocery shopping is done in the street.
10/18Market Run
A woman makes a produce purchase in the streets of Central Havana. Many of the produce grown in Cuba is done so sustainably, partly out of necessity. Only a decade or so ago, Cubans were on the verge of starvation. Now, thanks in part to sustainable farming techniques, food is more plentiful.
11/18Salad Service To Go
An old man makes a lettuce delivery to customers in Havana on the most environmentally friendly vehicle around–a bicycle cart.
12/18Streets of Havana
American tourists returning to Havana will find a number of sustainable food options to choose from.
13/18Soup's On!
At El Romero, the sustainable vegetarian restaurant at the heart of Las Terrazas, the head chef prepares lunch for customers, using produce from local farms.
14/18Try It, You'll Like It!
A rural woman in the Pinar del Rio farming province offers a taste of shredded pork in her kitchen. Traditional Cuban cooking is simple and emphasizes the quality of the ingredients.
15/18Christians and Moors
The classic Cuban rice dish cristianos y moros is a staple, but was one way in which the country relied heavily on food imports for so long.
16/18Havana Al Fresco
The rooftop dining tables at the Havana restaurant Atelier are ready for the dinner service. Organoponicos offer restaurateurs a greater variety and better quality of produce to offer to customers.
17/18Mo 'Jito, Please
One of Cuba's signature drinks, the mojito, is almost ready for serving. The yerba buena–the mint grown in Cuba–was likely grown on an organoponico.
18/18Classic Cuba
Cubans are known for their talent for keeping ancient cars running and looking good. That knack for being inventive with what they have applies to sustainable farming and food, too.
