Today we met Hilbert, a local farmer from San Luis. He had been working the farm we toured today for 20 years and had also grown up on a farm. As we walked a winding path through his property he pointed out various coffee plants in different stages of maturity. Some suffering from a fungus infection or some other type of plant aliment. There were a few trees with red “cherries”, that when squeezed a bean covered in mucilage popped out. The bean will eventually be dried and become what we know as coffee. He also grew bananas (had a slight pineapple taste), aloe vera, and oranges. Diversifying his crop ensures a steady source of income and food. The tour ended at his home. Hilbert provided some history about coffee production in the area and indulged us by answering our many questions. Of course, any coffee tour is not complete until the product has been sampled. He brewed coffee for us using the traditional method. Ground coffee is placed in a sock (clean) and hot water poured through it. Simple and delicious.
A website from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Student blog
