“KONA” name

Only coffee grown in the North and South districts of Kona may use the geographic designation of Kona. The KCFA feels that the use of the word “Kona” in a 10% Kona Blend (90% of which is non-Kona) is abusive.  There are no Federal regulations protecting Kona Coffee.  Anyone outside of Hawaii can use the…

Kona Coffee’s Unique Ecological & Agronomical Profile

Science has not yet proven why certain soil and exposure sites produce finer coffee than others.  We can only point to certain correlations between quality coffee with certain varieties of carefully processed arabica coffee and with origins that include well-drained volcanic soils, higher elevations, and seasonal tropical wet-and-dry climates. Kona’s coffee-growing belt mimics other coffee-growing…

Bob Smith’s Fertiliser Distributor/Applicator Invention

Supplies Needed Beforehand Thin wall PVC Pipe, 1.5 inches in diameter, 21-24 inches long Two MacNut Bags (1 used for shoulder harness) Sash Cord for Harness – approximately 3 feet (or more) long Smaller diameter cord for securing PVC to bag – approximately 6 feet and also another 2 feet for securing bag to shoulder…

Perry Lab Sampling Soil and Tissue Instructions

Instructions for Taking and Sending a Tissue or a Soil Sample- Perry Lab Perry Agricultural Lab Sample Report Leaf sampling procedure: Leaves–Leaf or tissue testing determines the nutritional status of the plant. As with soil sampling, a representative sample should be taken. How to take a sample: Select average looking trees. Samples should be taken…

Fermentation – Coffee Wetmill Practices

BEST PRACTICES: Coffee Wetmill Practices – How They Affect Your Coffee Quality by Ken Sheppard, September 29, 2008 Objective: The purpose of this workshop is to discuss wet mill practices with a particular emphasis on the fermentation process. Food for thought: If we accept that the coffee on the tree is the best it can…

Coffee Mucilage

BEST PRACTICES: COFFEE MUCILAGE by Nancy Griffith (what I have learned as of Oct 18, 2006) After harvesting and removing the skins [pulping] of coffee cherry, the mucilage needs to be removed from the seed.  The soft and slippery mucilage is actually the fruit of the coffee, as opposed to the skin and the seed. …

Small Scale On-Farm Processing

BEST PRACTICES: Small Scale On-Farm Processing by Kenneth Sheppard 1/10/05. The following is my collective wisdom from having processed coffee on this site for about 8 years. Feel free to disagree with or ignore any of it. This workshop is to help facilitate the free exchange of ideas. The Pioneer Farmers got things just about…

Planting Panel Notes

BEST PRACTICES: PLANTING PRACTICES PANEL NOTES EMPHASIS ON NEW PLANTINGS Sally Rice:  As a “contract coffee farmer,” she works with planting raw land. She uses bulldozers to prepare soil well, she chips organic material, rather than burying it, to avoid pits in a few years when the organic material decays. She fertilizes before she plants…