03. Coffee Basics: From Tree to Bean Part 1

 

 

 

Coffee Basics: From Tree to Bean Part 1

This podcast episode is part 1 of a series of episodes about where coffee comes from. Coffee has a long and complicated journey from its origin as a fruit-producing evergreen tree to is final destination as a delicious beverage in your cup.

In this episode we are going back to the very beginning. We will discuss how coffee is grown and the specifics of the coffee tree. The coffee tree starts in a nursery as a seedling, called a soldier. After several months the coffee farmer transplants the tree to the plantation grounds. The coffee tree produces the coffee beans we know and love, which are the seeds of the coffee fruit.

We will examine the coffee fruit (coffee cherry). What does a coffee cherry look like? Can you eat it? I will also break down the anatomy of the coffee cherry and discuss the layers that are relevant later on in this journey during coffee processing.

Finally, we will discuss how farmers harvest coffee.