Grab some coffee

If you are a coffee drinker and ever wondered how that steaming coffee you grab every morning gets to your table, here's how it is processed. After the coffee beans are harvested, they are typically sun-dried on large patios made of asphalt or cement, where they are shifted at regular periods of time for several days to prevent mildew and fermentation while they dry. Then they are transferred to mechanical dryers. This method is widely used in Brazil. Additional processes include: sorting and grading; polishing, storaging and aging. Roasting is the last step, and it can be done either at the roasting companies or at home. I used to roast coffee for our family when I was a teenager, it was one of those chores my brother and I did not enjoy much, but I can tell you, I can distinguish a good coffee from a distance today.

The coffee farm: Chic Coffee (English) and Café Pessegueiro (Portuguese)


More pictures related to coffee on my previous posts:
1) Guesses anyone?
2) How would you like your coffee?

And that's my dad waving on the first picture...

Colonial Blue

More farm pictures, the white and blue were popular in Colonial Brazil during the 17th and 18th centuries. This is a coffee farm, the owner was a kid when my dad was growing up and it was so nice to see them talking about old times. The farm is well-taken care of. Their oldest employee, who is over 80 years old, moved there as a kid, raised his family there and still likes to help out around the farm, taking care of flowers.

Back in time

My Great grandparents Virginia and Francisco lived here and they had 16 kids... Some of them were married already when they moved in, probably about 80 years ago. My mom first visited them in 1953, when one of my grandmother's brother got married and my mom was introduced to the family. My parents got married the year after that. Mom and dad say the house remains exactly the same. I have more pictures of this farm and I plan to show them soon.

A country porch

This charming farmhouse with a rustic porch nestled among nature in the country seemed so inviting. Flowers show you care... and there were so many there! Notice the tin can turned into a vase!

Enter with an open heart...

Around my hometown you can you see beautiful mansions from the coffee boom era, sustainable farms, and old train stations. All hidden behind gates and fences... Enter with an open heart...

A cozy place to stay

Our hideaway at the farm, 150 miles from our home, where I take most of my pictures and enjoy nature.