Coffee Farming & Processing
Coffee seeds are often sown at lower elevations in small bags of soil. When the seeds have grown into strong seedlings the coffee plants are carried up the mountainside and transplanted on the coffee farm.
As the coffee plants matures, the weeds need to be controlled with machetes and the soil needs to be tested and maintained with the right fertilizers. It takes 3 years for a coffee plant to mature and produce coffee fruit, called cherries.
At just the right time the coffee is cut (harvested) by hand to ensure the perfect ripeness of each coffee cherry. There are typically 3 cuttings each harvest. The coffee is then separated from the peel and the slimy, pale coffee beans are thoroughly washed.
Next, the washed beans are laid out in solar dryers. It is vitally important to manage the drying process closely. If the humidity of the coffee is too low or too high an entire harvest can be ruined.
Lastly, the dried coffee is hand sorted for optimal quality before it is transported down the mountain to processing facilities.
Galana Coffee Company has teamed up with Partners Worldwide and NECT to launch a new coffee coop called, Elevar. Elevar seeks to elevate hope for people and communities in Honduras by empowering small coffee producers to achieve excellence and sustainability.