~ by Pam Capista

Great coffee and warm, welcoming people - two of Costa Rica’s amazing resources.

I had the great pleasure of visiting don Emilio’s coffee farm in San Luis and touring the farm with him and his son Deiner one morning. 

It started with having a basket strapped around my waist and picking some ripe berries. We then proceeded to check out the areas where the beans are dried. The next step was the breaking up of the berries to remove the skins. This was accomplished by first putting them through a grinder run by a washing machine motor and bicycle wheel and then taking the crushed berries to the “windy place” - a small knoll looking down the mountains to the sea with almost constant breezes.

Here, Deiner dropped the broken berries into the wind which blew the skins away and collected the beans in a container. After pounding them to further break them up, this process is repeated. The beans were then hand-sorted and ready to roast. Only the best beans are used to roast and sell. Don Emilio roasts the beans over an open fire of coffee wood for several hours, early in the morning, stirring them constantly. 

Beans are harvested twice a year.

Between harvests, plants are tended and new ones started. A new plant starts yielding beans in about 4 years and produces for 3-4 years, after which it is cut back to regrow. 

After learning of the process, we sat down with the family. Don Emilio ground some beans and doña Rita made coffee using the traditional chorreador. This was served with homemade coconut and banana cakes. I think it was the best cup of coffee ever! You can buy don Emilio’s coffee from his son Deiner at the Uvita feria on Saturdays. 

INFO: To visit the farm, buy coffee or have a tour you can contact Deiner: 8646-2463 - English and Spanish spoken.