Elsa Gregorio Hernandez harvests coffee by hand. Elsa is employed as a coffee “picker” by Federación Comercializadora de Café Especial de Guatemala (FECCEG) member, Diego Jacinto Sales. Harvesting by hand, it is a physically demanding job performed on steep hillsides in hot, humid conditions. Image by Mark Caicedo

By Wilson Caicedo

There many roles played by soils, topography, and geology in general that influence a coffee’s flavor. There are several macronutrients and micronutrients that a coffee plant requires in order to thrive. Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous are necessary macronutrients. Micronutrients, such as zinc, magnesium, boron, iron, and copper are needed as well by coffee plants. Nitrogen intake affects the caffeine content of a bean. Potassium is important to the physiological development of fruit, and phosphorus is necessary for root, wood, and bud development (Emma Sage, Basic Plant Biology: Keeping the Coffee Plant “Happy,” www.scaa.org) Coffee’s annual average temperature should be between 59° and 73°F. Some regions can rely completely on rainfall while other with dryer conditions use irrigation techniques. With this it requires good soil drainage, proper elevation, soil pH of 4.0-7.0,. Elevation ranges differ between the subtropical (1800-3600 ft) and equatorial regions (3600-6300 ft). Soil acidity is important because it influences the ability of the soil to release its nutrients.

With Brazil being the #1 exporter of in the world, its Cerrado region, provides 59% of the countries coffee. The soils in this savannah, known for its rich biodiversity are rich in aluminum, with deposits of calcium and magnesium, and are mostly dystrophic, with low pH(Lopes and Cox, 1977 a ; Furley and Ratter, 1988); most are oxisols (ferralitic soils). They are not ideal soils for growing quality coffee. However, they are well drained, ultimately making it a good region for higher yields of Robusta without shade. Unfortunately, this method requires more lime and fertilizer distribution among crops grown in this region.

Colombia’s coffee producing regions’ topography affects bean quality differing between the north and south of them. Southern regions below nine degrees latitude, primarily grow Arabica. With soil derived from the Sotará and Puracé volcanoes, in the east and northeast, and Huila volcano, in the center of the region, also generate colder winds for coffee. Beans in these regions are able to retain more acids and sugars. Regions located further north are tend to sit at lower elevations of approximately 1,200 m (4,000 ft). Robusta varieties are mainly produced there, as it can still thrive while not retaining as much acid and sugar content from the soil.

Photo by Ed Gregory

By Archer Hobson-Ritz

From the espresso drinks cultivated in your local coffee shops, to the overworked coffee pot in the office break room, everyone is brewing their own relationship with coffee. Many people cannot imagine starting their day without a steaming cup of coffee. It is, after all, a stimulant, which is why we are brewing pots of coffee in the morning and not lemonade. A newer generation of coffee cultivation is sweeping the nation. Coffee companies are now paying special attention to the beans they source and the methods in which they acquire them- whether that be buying them at market price, fair trade, or direct trade. Roasteries are now refining their methods of roasting the beans.

Coffee expertise appeals to the younger generation, for its affordable luxury. Coffee could be thought of as training ground to learn the fundamentals of connoisseurship. What one tastes in a cup of coffee is defined by what one has experienced in his or her life and tasted before. This is what makes coffee culturally fascinating. Coffee plays out American themes of classism and social dynamics.(Wade) Everybody has their own take on coffee without one type being better than the other; taste is a completely subjective experience.

Beyond the tasting component is the social aspect. Coffee houses provide a place for social gathering. They curate their own unique coffee house feng shui, by often playing acoustic or indie folk music and providing comfortable sitting areas. Coffee shops provide a certain environment that acts as a social lubricant. The cosiness of a nicely lit cafe can be the perfect place to strike up a conversation, or quietly work on that latest blog post.

 

Wade, Stephen. “The Social Terroir of a Cafe & Roastery.” The Social Terroir of a Cafe & Roastery. Accessed December 7, 2015. http://insight.insightcoffee.com/posts/10583.

Bababudangiri in the Chikmagalur region. Image by Riju K.

Bababudangiri is a mountain in Southwest India. It is a religious and culturally relevant location, and “the region is considered the home of Indian coffee.(Hoffman 2015)” This area is known particularly for its shade coffee production working in tandem with agroforestry and conservation efforts (Nath 2011), so there is already a precedent of certain permaculture principles being employed for coffee production in the area.

Any partially south facing and gently sloped area would suit coffee production. Ideal overgrowth would be predominantly native trees as in traditional polycultures, but also additional crops such as Acrocarpus fraxinifolius, rubber trees, empress trees, or cashews. Undergrowth can be whatever shade tolerant plants that serve the community or soil health.

A major component to the economic stability of this particular location would be the creation of a religious retreat center. The Bababudangiri shrine “is famous for the Dattatreya Peeta ‑ a Hindu temple and a Muslim dargah both in the same underground cave (Madur 2015)”. It is a pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Muslims, and is also an internationally-known hiking location with many other nearby temples and shrines (Madur 2015). This locale has the ideal model for an eco-retreat center and permaculture reforestation site. Lodging, spiritual centers and ceremonies to accommodate pilgrims of all paths would be available, as well as PDC and cultural classes for supplemental income. The farm can become a location for international tourism, which takes pressure of the farmers to rely on intensive farming. It also allows for direct sale of value-added coffee products (“it is believed that the Baba Budan brought coffee to India for Dattatreya, an incarnation of Shiva. (BabaBudangiri, Chikmagalur: History, Treks, & Map from Bangalore)” This diversification of income streams and employment opportunities would stabilize the farm as well as create livlihoods for women, indigenous peoples, and those incapable of agricultural work in the community.