Bed and Breakfast on the Kona Coffee Belt

While most people associate coffee plantations in Hawaii, is the only EU country that has the climate and soil where the coffee plants can grow. Rich, slightly acidic volcanic soil, morning sun with afternoon clouds and over 60 inches of rain during the summer months provide an ideal environment for the cultivation of coffee first. There are many traditional Hawaiian coffee grown in Hawaii, but for this trip, I decided to visit the Big Island of Hawaii to visit the agricultural region where coffee is grown Kona. To continue the experiment of Aloha “real” Hawaii husband Shaun and I decided to kip in two very distinctive Bed & Breakfast located in Kona coffee instead of a resort hotel where the tourists the most typical palm hit go. Roger Diltz, owner of Aloha Farms Bed and Breakfast, once a place of refuge B & B gave us directions to find the key to his house (800 meters) from Kealakekua Bay and Puuhonua O Honaunau National Park (City of Refuge) . When you try to find anywhere in this region, it is wise to drive during the day because the roads are poorly marked and signs of road that is not easily detectable during the day are almost invisible at night. Before our arrival in this eco-tourism B & B, Roger, deep sea fishing for the catch of the day, he left his dog Koa and a note on the door to greet us. Disarmament of all, this Rottweiler / Lab mix has become our companion for a morning walk the grounds before breakfast at 7:30 A. m. We thought that an alarm may be necessary. But as day dawned, the sounds of the jungle “, began as a single Twitter and in 20 minutes, the birds had orchestrated their calls in a crescendo of Full Blown tweets, chuckles and whistles. The aroma of Kona coffee floating home, as Roger prepared a rib-sticking breakfast complete with syrup Jaboticaba rolls over coconut. The view during breakfast bath (covered porch) was exactly as one imagines, a tropical forest of exotic flora backdropped by a sea of indigo to the extent that a person could see. The evenings at the farm Aloha were quite amusing. We have been invaded by hordes of nocturnal geckos, as they arrived in force to stick to walls, like a rubber shoe. These lizards’ timid Chartreuse kept the mosquitoes away, as potted plants of lemongrass. In the distance, the muffled echo of five lawyers from tree branches Pound overburdened usually lead Koa investigate only if they could be a wild pig. Yet every morning we have no intention of feeding the normal tourists snorkeling, kayaking or swimming with dolphins excursion. Instead, we have painstakingly tried to draw the companies hidden in that region which is only two or three miles, twenty miles long and extends along the south-west of the Big Island of Hawaii. We wanted to know how Kona coffee was grown, harvested, rods, fermented, dried, ground (hull) and roasted. (Did not know there were so many processes to get this eye-opening cup every morning, now that you did?) Our route took us first Langenstein farms where the operator Darcee Lucas met us for a non-traditional cupping. As we entered the room roasting Darcee had put three cups of strong porcelain alone with a pot of fresh coffee at a corner table, no cream or sugar in sight. Shaun, an instant coffee drinker, frowned, I have “How do I drink coffee without milk?” Look. Darcee as a cast, said: “Now, take the cup and see the oil floating above the coffee. Notice the colors. The smell of coffee. Now, drink a coffee.” We have tasted this classic, delicate, clean, fruity, floral cup Kona coffee. I could see a sigh of relief Shaun. “Can I really drink black coffee, it tastes almost sweet, sugar free,” said Shaun. My second thought was already stated, I wanted to get my Brit drinking instant coffee with a husband in respect of copper with a good load. Its delicate flavor seemed to have conquered. Our path led us to the plantations of Pele, overlooking Kealakekua Bay where Captain Cook discovered the Hawaiian Islands. Owners Gus and Cynthia Brockson were busy roasting and packing of orders on-line, ready for shipment. Their Kona coffee farm is certified organic, which means that the coffee is grown using methods and materials with low environmental impact. These organic production system to restore and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, agriculture, and build biologically diverse. According Brocksons, has a herd of certified organic coffee: “To be called Kona coffee” organic “must be treated in a facility with equipment and procedures that are certified organic. We are proud to be one of only four processors in Kona to receive this status. Heading up Koa Road, KOA, we visited the plantation, which lies at an altitude of 2500 meters on the slopes of the Hawaiian volcano, Mauna Loa. Located in the town of Captain Cook is the only company in Kona where we saw the flowers and the cherry red and green all on the same plant. The scent of flowers – affectionately known as “Kona Snow” – reminded me of its sister plant, the Gardenia. In May, the flowers give way to fruits of green coffee, it is rare to see red cherry lowest increases in this time of year. Plantations KOA has state-of-the-art facility Wet Mill Colombia, a dry mill from Brazil and all the scrolls / temperature and humidity controlled green beans. In the roasting room, we watched as the beans are roasted in a large commercial roasting. The temperature and time were carefully monitored to avoid burning the beans. “The most important thing is to hear the first crack,” said John Langenstein quick tour. After about 15 minutes, the coffee beans, literally “pop” as they grow. This first “crack” refers to roast First, a lightly roasted coffee roasted Americans commonly called. The second “crack” is a much darker roasted coffee. Tired and hungry, we made our way along the road to Old Tobacco Road, which is an old farm road and rough enough to suggest that a four-wheel drive may be necessary. It ‘a mile long drive to our future digs through the orchards of coffee and macadamia nuts. We arrive at the end of high Aloha Guest House owned and operated by Johann and Greg Timmerman Garriss with residents artist Lino Laure. The reasons Aloha Guest House has been impeccably maintained tropical areas where the vines and foliage to grow at a rapid pace! The exotic flowers and fruits grow in volcanic rock. We are hosted by Lino and Pooch Mango, which, as it turned out, loved to scratch his back – every morning – on a chair just outside our private entrance to create a stir. (E ‘now on our awakening.) Aloha Guest House – situated 1500 meters above the coast of Kona, where the climate is tempered by cool ocean breezes – has a seven-person hot tub, HDTV, WiFi, kitchenette and common houses a bar and freshly brewed coffee 24 hours preparation, serving up to 100% Kona Coffee peaberry – its brand and burned by Kena grown coffee plantations. Breakfast, prepared by Johann is usually a simplistic version of haute cuisine served in a dining table with elegant Grand Forks, exotic flowers included. Whole tables B & B by Lino Laure are presented. Lino natural talent is obvious: he painted the wonders of Hawaii, taking into account the smallest details that the artist would have known. Yet, the day call to leave everything behind to complement our luxury eco-tour. A trip to Greenwell Farms in Kealakekua, Hawaii, took us on a journey of family history dates back to 1850 when Henry Nicholas Greenwell left England and first set foot on the soil fertile rural Kona. With his wife, Elizabeth Caroline, Henry spent the next forty years, farming, breeding and perfecting his Kona Coffee, soon exporting it to Europe and the Americas. Today the company is managed by the descendants of Henry and Elizabeth, and grows its own coffee on 150 acres of land more productive in the district of Kona. Greenwell Farms offers walking tours of coffee plantations and processing plants that operate continuously for 8 a. m. 4 p. m. Monday to Friday, Saturday, 8 a. m. 3 p. m. A few steps away is the Kona Historical Society’s Living History Farm Tour This seven-hectare farm was homesteaded in 1900 by Japanese immigrants. The Tour is an interpretation of the daily lives of coffee farmers in the early 20’s brought to life through the use of historic buildings, objects, landscapes, genuine, live animals, machine to machine and produce gardens, orchards and fields. David Bateman, owner of Heavenly Hawaii farms, noted that the process is the same as today: “Because not all cherries ripen at the same time, there are usually four to six crops during the harvest season. Gatherers to manually choose cherry red fruit containing the coffee beans. A good picker can choose 400 pounds of cherries per day. Some collectors have taken all the £ 1,200 per day, all by hand, soybeans. “The standard ratio to produce a kilo of cherry roasted coffee is seven to one. Near Lehuula Farms owner Bob Nelson prepares his equipment for a lot of debris and dried cherries. In addition to a pulper, Bob – a transplant from Alaska – is one of only two devices on the islands that dry the coffee bean through a drying process is used to speed up the drying process. Most companies – including Lehuula – even the sun dry their beans on large bridges with a humidity between 10 and 13 per cent. This four-hectare coffee farm – located at 1400 meters on the western slope of Mount Hualalai – currently supports more than 4,000 coffee plants, many of whom are 90 years or more and is said to provide exceptional coffee taste that can not be found in young trees. “The veil is so good you will never be,” said Bob Cherry about chosen, reminds us that there is always a way to screw it in many steps it takes to process coffee. Dr. Joe Alban said that in his company, which produces coffee cherries by 35 percent more than other coffee plantations because of its unique coffee groves, vineyards style. Sold for $ 65 a pound, the plantation of coffee before arbor owned and operated by Dr. Joe and his wife Deepa Alban. Kona Joe Coffee ® holds trellised U. S. Patent 6,449,898 B1 for “Method and apparatus for increasing the production of coffee beans” and was recognized for the adaptation of the wine growing techniques for the production of coffee. “Inspiration transition practices of viticulture at the coffee came from our family vineyards, Alban Vineyards, award-winning vineyard and winery located on the central coast of California, said Joe. Kona Joe Coffee will sponsor the first Barista Competition, held this year at Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, a festival of 10 days to be held in early November, when the Kona coffee crop is well underway. I came to Kona to see how the coffee was grown and what the education I received. Anyone can go on this way to see how a farm of coffee, without a passport and apprehension about traveling abroad. Every morning I take my cup of freshly brewed java, I have deep respect for the tedious process necessary to produce and coffee farmers who work tirelessly to bring us the goods we can not do without.

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