Petra in the Colombian coffee region

Visiting a coffee plantation

‘After breakfast, we set off with our guide Alejandro and our driver Guillermo towards Finca La Mina, a small farm in Caldas, about a 1.5-hour drive from our hotel near Pereira. We drive through the town and continue through a landscape of plantations and green mountains.

On arrival at the finca, we are welcomed by Gabriel, his wife Lilia, their two daughters and a little dog. The family lives in a colourful house overlooking the valley where their plantation is also situated. The coffee beans are produced here in a very traditional and small-scale manner. We are given a brief introduction by Gabriel, who then takes us straight out to pick the beans ourselves.

Rolling up our sleeves

Like seasoned coffee pickers, with a cloth around our necks, hats on our heads to shield us from the sun and a basket tied around our waists, we set to work. Gabriel shows us the right colour so we know which beans to pick. We taste a coffee bean, and for the first time we notice that there’s a sweet coating on the bean, almost honey-like. The branches grow towards each other and stretch over our heads. It feels as though we’re back in the Amazon, where we’ve just come from. After a few minutes, we’re already feeling disoriented. Fortunately, Gabriel knows his way around here.

Under a mango tree, we enjoy a fresh piece of fruit, straight from the tree. The mango is so sweet that we can eat it with the skin on. Gabriel shows us how he grows the plants, from bean to plant. We’re even allowed to plant our own coffee tree, which we name Paul and Petra. We write the names on a little sign next to the seedlings and from now on we’ll be kept updated on their growth every month.

From cherry to coffee bean

Time to see how much coffee we’ve picked. Not too much, unfortunately – we’re not professional pickers yet. Our coffee beans are weighed and then their value is calculated. Using a small bowl of water, we check which beans are best for making the finest coffee. The berries that float are of inferior quality. The beans are then mechanically separated from the fruit and fermented in water, after which they are dried for a few days. When the coffee bean reaches a moisture content of 10–12 per cent, the husk is removed. The bean is then roasted to become the coffee bean we recognise from the supermarket. Here, the beans are roasted on a wood-fired stove. We smell two different types of coffee bean. One that has been roasted for about 30 minutes, where the sweet and sour aromas are still clearly recognisable, and one that has been roasted for around 35 minutes, where the colour is darker and the aroma is stronger but less refined. We grind the coffee beans into a powder and use a small French press to make two espressos. This cup of coffee tastes very different now that we’ve been able to hear and experience the story behind it.

Whilst Gabriel has been teaching us more about coffee, Lilia has been preparing a delicious lunch for us. On the terrace overlooking the valley, we enjoy a typical Colombian lunch. Brown beans, rice, avocado, pork, sausage, salad and plantain – delicious. After lunch, it’s time to say goodbye. We take some coffee beans with us as a memento, so we can look back on this special day when we’re back home. After a hug, we get into the car and wave to the family until they’re out of sight.