Visiting Paradise on Earth

It’s an intimate, dreamy, oft misconstrued place, nestled typically within the misty cloud banks of tropical mountain ranges. Across the shrouded farm, the sounds of chickens, happy children, bustling workers, and muffled Spanish can be heard.

As we descended the long driveway of this farm located in Buenavista, Quindio that was the exact experience.

Colorful, proud, artwork adorned the doorways of the modest family home. They beamed with pride as roasters from around the World, a handful of Colombian coffee producers, and a team of experts from Caravela Coffee made the walk from the bus.

This farm was owned by a proud woman - Sra. Rosa - who toured us around with a confident stride and a partial smile. The home is laid out more like a motel - with all doors facing the same side, and no hallways, which was interesting. The kitchen was on one end with a beautiful, vintage, woodburning kitchen cooking stove outside - still warm from preparing breakfast. Smoke dwindled from the cooling coals seen through the open doors. Bedrooms were very small and modest - used only to sleep and prepare oneself for a busy day of good work.

Her husband showed off one of his many prize projects - his chicken operation - in the back yard. Hens and roosters of many breeds strutted around wearily looking at the crowd of strangers. Baby chicks were heard in the distance.

Perhaps more stunning than the home space however, was the view from the back porch. This area, appropriately called Buenavista (good view) certainly lives up to its name. Framed in with overhanging plantain and banana trees, the mountains stretched off into the distance, in shades of purple. The valleys reflected a lush green that is hard to describe. A sense of peace instantly fills your mind, as you mandatorily close your eyes, and try to envision the privilege of living in such a peaceful, beautiful, tranquil place.

Up a short trail on the side of the home, we are instantly transported into that same lushness, with the familiar buzz of mosquitoes, and the constant chirping of unfamiliar birds.

Coffee trees surrounded us as Sra. Rosa’s team led us deeper into the farmscape.

We returned after a short hike around to fresh Colombian snack cake, made in that same wood-fired oven. The family discussed these invaders amongst themselves in hushed Spanish. Some of us wandered off to take photos, others mingled amongst the crowd. One man clumsily drank a Corona, clearly not his first of the day.

Just a few feet away stood the trees that justify everything - the coffee plant. These trees stood over 7 feet tall. Each branch was saddled with the vegetal weight of shiny, green leaves and countless coffee cherries ranging in colors from green and yellow, to orange and red. Each color denoting the ripeness of the fruit.

If I could choose a place to lay on the soil and enjoy a drenching rainfall, this would be it.

Steep, narrow, muddy paths cut erratic lines through this coffee forest, testament to the countless footfalls of an army of workers. Like ghosts from the past, we can imagine the history of people passing through these very spaces, with calloused hands, tired feet, and a work ethic that remains unmatched.

And, not much has changed over the decades.

Sra. Rosa’s husband toured us through his benefiaciadero - where the coffee cherries are depulped and prepared for drying and other processes. With a flick of a switch, a Christmas colored cast iron depulping machine came to life, rattling and spitting out coffee beans.

Above the simple concrete beneficiadero, the incredibly intelligent design of this farm continued. He pushed back the roof - on sliding rails - exposing the concrete drying beds. This is where the coffee is exposed to the Colombian sun for many days.

Eventually, after much hand shaking, coffee smelling, and awkward head nodding (after the Colombian dialects made us question our spanish skills), we all walked back up the sinuous driveway to the waiting bus.

It was clear to us the families that are responsible for the growing of our favorite fruit are truly special people. Not that we felt they never were - we knew this. But their hard work and stories are often overlooked as a weary world rushes off to their daily rituals.

The next time you sip on your cup, think of the countless Sra. Rosas of the World, their hardworking and committed families, and their workers.