One day you can be cutting down a mac nut orchard, the next you could be developing a roast profile for the latest coffee harvest. Then there is everything in between. That's farming for you. The chainsaw broke after the first row of mac nut trees (there are a couple hundred left to go) so in the meantime we started planting 'keikis' or baby coffee trees. Hopefully they will be ready to go into the ground once the land is cleared in a few months. I'm sure Eric prefers the shrill of the chainsaw but I will take a morning in the garden putting keikis into cute little planters any day. The 'in between' includes spraying fungus to stop the ever-spreading CBB, attending a coffee expo, shoveling a couple thousand pounds of coffee off the drying deck, roasting and packaging coffee, and making repairs and improvements around the farm. The highlight this week was definitely creating a new roast profile. Eric put his roasting skills to the test and came up with an awesome profile and roasted several small batches that will be sold by Kona Earth. We will have more info to come but we brewed some this morning and it is delicious!
We have been here in Kona for one hundred and forty one days. That's one hundred and forty one days of living simply, of challenges and opportunities, of hard work and lots of fun.
It's been one hundred and forty one days of not really knowing what each day will bring.
Ever wonder why we title these posts by the day? It's because this is a journey of one day leading to the next. We've learned to surrender and to just enjoy the ride. Any expectations we had have been exceeded, so hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile.
Now that the final big coffee pick of the season is complete things have started to slow down here on the farm. Sure, there is still work to be done but this means that there is a little more time for extracurricular activities, which happen to be plentiful here in Kona. The week started with a road trip with the Kona Earth family up to the highest peek in the world, Mauna Kea. Standing next to giant metallic and white telescopes above the clouds at 13,803 feet, surrounded by red rocky mountains in all directions felt more like a trip to a different planet than to sacred Hawaiian land but the sunset from the summit was unmatchable. The rest of the night was spent looking up into the sky as though it was the first time. In the crystal clear air we viewed Jupiter and it's moons, Pleiades (aka Suburu or the Seven Sisters), the "near by" galaxy of Andromeda, many constellations (Orion, Taurus..) and even got to make a couple of wishes on some shooting stars! The whole night was magical until my toes froze, I totally forgot what wintry weather felt like, well even so, it was still magical. The week also included sea turtles close enough to nibble our toes and whales big enough to see from the sandy shores. After a morning of mowing the fields and raking the coffee on the deck (see, we are doing some work!) we headed North to look for the humpback whales that arrive this time of year. Somehow, we picked the perfect spot and with the island of Maui showing in the distance, we watched pods of whales flapping their fins and jumping high out of the choppy water. 'See whales in Hawaii' has now been checked off my bucket list. 'Swim with whales in Hawaii' has now been added. The saying "time flies when you are having fun" has never been truer. The time is flying but we are filling the time with things we enjoy- like roasting coffee for 12 hours straight- and things that get us excited- like exploring summits and seas. So, things on the farm may have slowed down, but we certainly have not.
Surfing In the early morning chill we loaded Gary's truck with the boards and made our way down to Kahalu'u Beach Park, the perfect spot for a couple of newbies. The water was refreshingly warm, the sun was gently heating our backs and the adrenaline was flowing. The three of us pushed off the sharp black lava rocks and paddled out, the reef and schools of yellow fish showing clearly beneath us. So many things were going through my mind as I turned my board to face the shore and started paddling, paddling as hard as I could. Was a shark going to eat me? What if I hit the shallow rock bottom? What if I get in someones way? Before I could change my mind the wave was at my back. Just as I thought my arms would break off from the paddling, I felt the wave pushing me. Running through the steps I was told to take, I put my left foot out in front of me, I took a moment to find my balance and then, I stood up. Once I realized I was still alive and actually surfing for the first time, a rush of excitement came over me and I couldn't help but smile my way to the end of the wave.
On a sunny Sunday morning we made our way down to a neighboring coffee farm, Makahiki Farms, to roast some coffee with the owner and master roaster. Eric and I have seen many roasters here in Kona, but the roast room at Makahiki Farms really ups the bar. Everything is perfectly organized and the room is kept immaculately clean. We joked that we should have put on lab coats before we walked in!
This farm has quickly become a favorite of ours because the owners grow, harvest, process, and roast their coffee themselves. We are also fascinated with the different technology that they incorporate on their farm including an iPhone controlled irrigation system and an iPad app that assists in creating consistent roast profiles. Already having shadowed a few batches done by the owner, Eric got behind the wheel of the roaster. After measuring and pouring the green beans into the hopper, the roast was on. As the beans turned, Eric carefully monitored the temperature and time making the proper adjustments to the gas and air flow all while closely listening for the sound of the 'first crack'. Using a blend of craftsmanship and technology he was able to successfully roast three individual batches of coffee without burning the place down! It turns out, he's kind of a natural and may have found his calling. With roasting now under our belts, we're proud to say that in the past four months we have done every step in the process of getting coffee from seed to cup!
What an incredible year! 2012 has shown me that you really never know what is ahead of you or where you could find yourself in a years time.
We found ourselves at 'The End of the World'. And we jumped. Although I do mean that literally (we actually went to a place called 'The End of the World' and jumped off a cliff into the surging waters) we also took a huge leap of faith in our lives this year.
It hasn't been all smooth sailing, there were definitely rocky moments but challenges can teach us a lot about ourselves and each other. Challenges push us to the edge and that's where you find out that 'Oh, I can jump off a 35 foot cliff even though every inch of my body is telling me not to'. That's where you discover both limits and possibilities.
I truly feel that we all have the power to make changes and create our own paths...if you are willing to open your eyes and jump.
I wish you all Hau'oli Makahiki Hou, Happy New Year!
