As we get thrown about, insides jiggling, taking the 'Gator' past the high Rainbow Eucalyptus trees, over the citrus scented grass, past the banana orchards, halfway up the 300 acres of land, we make it to the green fields of Coffee Land. Rows and rows of coffee trees lined along the high hills over looking the sea. That's what this is all about. In the 22 mile long, 2 mile wide Kona coffee belt, it is all about coffee.
Before heading to Kua Bay (the most beautiful beach we have ever been to), Eric and I took Barbie (the only pink moped on the island) out to visit a couple other coffee farms up the road from us. We drove South to the family owned and run Kona Earth and stayed for a private tour given by the owner himself. Then headed North to visit the very well manicured UCC Hawaii, whose coffee is a household name in Japan. These farms are on two different ends of the spectrum but both visits were very eye opening. It seems out here there are some guidelines but for the most part everyone has their own way of doing things and ways of differentiating their coffee from the other farms. I will say, both farms were conventional (not organic), so there was a lot less 'weed-eating' going on than what we're used to. There is definitely something special about the coffee and as we are finding out, something very unique about the people of the Big Island.
The other night, we were invited to a small BBQ- Hawaiian style. Although it was just before the time we typically go to sleep (still trying to get the time difference thing down), the chance to eat something other than a PB&J sandwich was too good to pass up. So, in anticipation for the big event, we showed up right on time. "On time" here is relative, so we were extremely early. There were no plates, no forks and no napkins in sight but there was fresh Ahi sashimi over cabbage, grilled eel and Kala fish, steak, crabs and oh yes, spiny lobsters. People of all different ages and backgrounds gathered around a round, white, plastic, table, sharing food caught on a dive the night before. Now thats a BBQ! The folks all lived within a mile of us and all had their hands in coffee somehow. The young ones spoke about the farms their grandmothers pick coffee on. The men talked about the Coffee Borer Beatle damaging the crops. Eric and I talked about all the coffee we plan on drinking.
I think we have made it over the hump and are now feeling much more adjusted to the working and living conditions. The days continue to be filled with new tasks and challenges. Today, we started in beautiful coffee land, moved on to planting pineapple plants and ended at the compost pile. There, we emptied a truck filled with buckets of fish parts into a pile of mulch to make new compost (see video below). For this job, Eric got to use the biggest tractor on the farm, I got to use a pair of rubber gloves.
After a nice a hot shower, it feels good to finally be clean again, but more so to reflect on all the hard work that goes into running an organic farm and the effort we have put into the farm so far. We'll see what tomorrow brings, the only thing predictable about our days is that they start with a cup of some of the best coffee in the world.
Wow, just wow.
ReplyDeleteSweeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!!! Never would have known you can use fish stuff for compost. That beach is sick!
ReplyDeleteWild, it's like camp all year long.
ReplyDelete