It is now the end of the day.  I am tired and sweaty.  But as is the case at the end of each day in the field, I have a very satisfied feeling – a feeling that I have accomplished something sacred. It is almost a religious experience. 

We here on the mountain are so very blessed.  All the natural elements have come together to create the conditions to grow great coffee. It’s almost like the perfect storm.  In order to produce the very best coffee in the world, however, a farmer has to be dedicated to his calling and not compromise the quality of his coffee by taking any of many possible shortcuts.

One of these shortcuts would be picking cherries before the right time.  Every single cherry on each bunch has a specific day when it should be picked.  On each bunch you will find cherries at different stages of maturity.  When you pick the ripe cherries on a bunch, a lot of time could be saved by also picking the ones that are almost ready.  We (my family) will leave these and come back in two or three days when their time has come.  This is very time consuming but it is one of the sacrifices we make in order to produce the best of the best.  Picking cherries at just the right time is the very critical first step of processing.  If the cherry is picked even one day before maturity, the bean will not have the ideal amount of natural sweetness that Blue Mountain Coffee is famous for.  If allowed to over-ripe, the coffee will have sort of a rancid aftertaste.  I found this picture online (I wont say where). This is not an example of good picking.  A few beans are just right.  The majority, however, are either under or over ripe.  Hope to get a camara soon.  I cant wait to share with you more pictures of the farm.

Timing plays a very critical role in many areas of farming and processing.  And even though my father half jokingly refers to me as the “capitalist” (as if it’s a dirty word), I know it is the right time to sell directly to retailers and consumers.  I can feel it in my bones

I have long believed that the secret of my coffee’s mild flavor and lack of bitterness lays in the nightly gentle caresses of the beans by this almost mysterious bluish hue.  I believe it provides a natural dilution of flavor and bitterness.  I am sure scientists could conduct experiments and come up with technical answers, but some things are simply better left alone.

As I look upon the majestic beauty of my mountain; the rainbow of colors that is produced by the penetration of the fog by the piercing rays of sunlight; the lush green background of the mountain that has the effect of a canvass for this natural and glorious work of art, I drink in a deep breath of crisp mountain air.  There is absolutely no place in this whole world I would rather be 

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee or Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is a classification of coffee grown in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. The best lots of Blue Mountain coffee are noted for their mild flavor and lack of bitterness. Over the last several decades, this coffee has developed a reputation that has made it one of the most expensive and sought-after coffees in the world. In addition to its use for brewed coffee, the beans are the flavor base of Tia Maria coffee liqueur.

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is a globally protected certification mark meaning that only coffee certified by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica can be labeled as such. It comes from a recognized growing region in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica and its cultivation is monitored by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica.

The Blue Mountains are generally located between Kingston to the south and

My Beloved Mountain