Vising Colombia is like no other adventure to coffee farms. While the association with drug cartels and violence fades into history, Colombia steals our hearts, so much in fact, Becky and I took our young sons there for a family trip in 2014.
I’ve been escorted to coffee farms in the southern most regions (Colombians call them departments) and had the privilege of visiting source co-operatives and farmers who work hard to operate honest, democratically run businesses. The co-ops provide valuable support to the farmers such as agronomy (farming science), best practices, latest advances, and tools. We choose to work with co-ops who pay their farmers prompt and full dividends.
The receiving dock for coffee cherries at Palmares Cooperative is a dynamic place to be in the heart of harvest. It runs from mid-morning until late at night, busy with an endless stream of trucks and farmers bringing their crops to final preparation — from large-farm hauling trucks to overloaded Land Cruisers and classic old Land Rovers from smaller farms. It’s a bustle of wonderful family energy.
The term “washing coffee” defines the process of removing the outer cherry skin and mucilage (fruity layer) from the valuable beans that lie in it’s center. The washing process is critical to achieving brightness, sharpness and sweetness in the coffee profile.
I believe the raised-bed drying tables of Africa are the most effective of all the drying methods I have seen. Plenty of sunshine and air flow, and at a height that makes it easier for the quality control workers to sift through the coffee. Mostly local women are hired to turn the coffee. They thoughtfully and meticulously pull any defects out of the bean harvest, such as rocks and twigs. Their careful hands help ensure the coffee is clean and dry for proper roasting. Watching them at work is a practice in mindfulness!
I often hear people ask, “What do coffee cherries taste like?” They are tangy, citrus-y and sweet, like a fruit candy. So, why don’t we eat them? Once the cherry has been pulled from the bean it quickly starts to ferment, so they don’t last long in their sweet state, and not very tasty.
