A trip to the Colombia coffee regions of the south in 2008
I took a nice, “travelogue-worthy” trip to ColombiaColombian coffee is highly marketed and widely available in the US. They have been largely successful at equating the name Colombian Coffee with "Good" Coffee. This is half-true.... ...more in late May, a real action-packed runaround. We dropped in at the 3 main growing regions to the south of Bogota in just one week: Huila, Cauca and Narino departments (states).
It’s part of the new way we are working in Colombia with 4 levels of coffee quality. We’re designating them 1-Star, 2-Star, 3-Star and 4-Star.
1-Star is blended by an exporter from small farms, and ends up as a good arrival. It’s solid Specialty coffeeSpecialty coffee was a term devised to mean higher levels of green coffee quality than average "industrial coffee" or "commercial coffee". At this point, the term is of... ...more that you might find at a good local roastery. 2-Star is blended from lots scoring above 84 on a subregional level within one of the growing regions, such as Huila Timana or Huila Pitalito. 3-Star are distinct small farmer lots scoring above 86, so small that I can’t offer them alone but have selected them to be part of our own micro-regional blend.
And 4-Star is the highest level, a distinct small family farm that has scored above 88, entering the realm of truly exemplary coffees. The top 2 levels are vacuum-packed in Bogota to preserve every detail of their cup quality upon arrival at Sweet Maria’s.
Our top 2 levels qualify for our Farm GateFarm Gate Coffee is the name we give to our direct trade coffee buying program. Farm Gate pricing means that we have negotiated a price directly with the... ...more pricing program, although the 2-Star is also part of our transparent price system, and well above Fair TradeFair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach to empowering developing country producers and promoting sustainability.: Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach... ...more payment levels to cooperatives. So that’s the gist of it, here are some pictures from the Colombia coffee regions we visited … some not at all related to coffee. i hope you understand… -Tom
Cupping in Bogota Colombia Sweet Marias Prepping samples for cupping Sweet Marias Aleco Chigounis Sweet Marias 
Fernando Sweet Marias George Howell Sweet Marias Tim Castle. Colombia Bogota Sweet Marias aleco cupping through it. Popayan Colombia Sweet Marias Tiny Oliver Table Sweet Marias Little sample huller Sweet Marias Colombia the only risk is wanting to stay Sweet Marias roadside scenes the giant boot Sweet Marias Sweet ride from Neive to La Plata Sweet Marias Occicafe main office La Plata. Sweet Marias Typical agriculture town La Plata Sweet Marias A man and his can Sweet Marias Well finish it later Sweet Marias More Horsepower Transport. Sweet Marias Bamboo contruction Sweet Marias Hot Diggety Dog Sweet Marias Tin roofs of La Plata Sweet Marias 
Catedral of La Plata Huila Colombia Sweet Marias 
Local Hospital La Plata Sweet Marias Gimme Bread … Sweet Marias great motorcycles of la plata colombia Sweet Marias hoochie mama la plata colombia Sweet Marias Ride em George Sweet Marias Map of El Descanso Sweet Marias Cement Fermentation Tanks Sweet Marias Aleco Horse Whisperer Sweet Marias Cloud Forest Sweet Marias Views from the farm house Sweet Marias Hijo de manajero Sweet Marias Fantastic Sopa Sweet Marias cell phone placement Sweet Marias Celantro salsa Sweet Marias Orlando Lopez Owner Sweet Marias An eye on the weather Sweet Marias Steep Huila coffee terrain Sweet Marias Obligatory Dog Photos Sweet Marias Aleco Chigounis home on the farm Sweet Marias View down below. Sweet Marias Shade free coffee Sweet Marias Caturra Sweet Marias Obligatory Coffee Cherry Photo Sweet Marias Across the way Coffee and Banana Sweet Marias castillo variety Sweet Marias Old coffee trunk Sweet Marias Orlando and his buddies Sweet Marias Dumping their pickings Sweet Marias Alejandro inspects cherry Sweet Marias farily good quality. Sweet Marias Weighing the coffee Sweet Marias Aleco and his new best friend Sweet Marias Plastic picking tubs Sweet Marias Obligatory dog picture no. Sweet Marias Whole cherry float test. Sweet Marias some of the pickers Sweet Marias Huh Sweet Marias After drying storage Sweet Marias Moo not. Sweet Marias A man and his horse Sweet Marias evening at the reception hall Sweet Marias Mudslide blocks the highway. Sweet Marias Cozy Column Sweet Marias Trippy Lights. Sweet Marias Torrental rivers Sweet Marias Squashed. Sweet Marias Fodr bus Sweet Marias mudslides of colombia egads Sweet Marias Purty Flowers of Colombia Sweet Marias More rushing rivers Sweet Marias Yo Heart Bull Sweet Marias Purty Flowers of Colombia Sweet Marias 
Unique cliffs Sweet Marias Another squashed bus Sweet Marias Asorcafe Cupping Room Sweet Marias discoteca kostazul Sweet Marias Coffee storage discoteca Sweet Marias Beauty Salon Sweet Marias make mine american Sweet Marias Jennifer and Aleco Sweet Marias discoteca kostazul Sweet Marias discoteca kostazul Sweet Marias aleco becomes sentimental Sweet Marias discoball Sweet Marias 
beware th level coffee cupper with magic trier Sweet Marias cupping room Sweet Marias Mudslides Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Garden at the coffee farm Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Walter Penna Coffee Cherry Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Ripe coffee cherry some yellow cultivars Sweet Marias parchment on screens Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias excellent parchment Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias deep green coffee leaves Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Miguel Penna House Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Recycling Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Millipede Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Coffee corn and cell phones Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Break Time Miguel Penna Farm Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Miguel Penna Beneficio Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Var. Colombia Amarillo Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Var. Colombia Amarillo Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Miguel Penna Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Variedad Colombia Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Little Pig Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias aleco serves panela Sweet Marias Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Creative use of tires Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias 
heck ya Sweet Marias Best Poster ever Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Puppy Wuppy Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Walter Penna and Uncle Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Serious Bro Down Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Another Slide Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Coffee comes slidin down Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Beautiful houses of Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Beautiful houses of Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Beautiful houses of Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias School San AntonioCauca Colombia Sweet Marias Party time Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Shop in San Antonio Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Man Drag Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Shop coffee asoc. office Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Kinda scarey Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Tasty Candies Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Crazy Kids Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Lovers Chocolate Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias More Lovers Chocolate Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Stuck Leaving San Antonio Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Stuck Leaving San Antonio Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Stuck Leaving San Antonio Cauca Colombia Sweet Marias Scarey bridge over the River Paez Colombia Sweet Marias Scarey bridge over the River Paez Colombia Sweet Marias Mudlsides of Colombia Sweet Marias Mudslide opens Sweet Marias most wanted farc ers Sweet Marias most wanted farc ers Sweet Marias most wanted farc ers Sweet Marias most wanted farc ers Sweet Marias most wanted farc ers Sweet Marias They love Uribe Sweet Marias Slimming Undergear Sweet Marias Cupping in Popayan Lab Sweet Marias synchronized Howell cupping team Sweet Marias Terrain near Popayan Colombia Sweet Marias Cool coffee bag hooks Popayan Colombia Sweet Marias Maria Santos House Narino Sweet Marias Temporary fog rolls in … Sweet Marias Maria Santos Porch Sweet Marias Tuff Boots of Colombia Sweet Marias Comfort and fear i.e. scarey electrical Sweet Marias Maria Santos and Daughter on Porch Sweet Marias Cow turds of Colombia Sweet Marias Picking coffee… Sweet Marias Husband of one picker… Sweet Marias Pedro McDonald Sweet Marias Pedro again… Narino Colombia Sweet Marias Fungus on coffee leaves Narino Sweet Marias Deficiency Narino Colombia Sweet Marias Coffee Harvest Narino Colombia Sweet Marias Nursery Maria Santos Farm Narino Colombia Sweet Marias Aleco and the Howells Maria Santos Farm Narino Colombia Sweet Marias George Aleco and I Sweet Marias Pups Maria Santos Farm Narino Colombia Sweet Marias Maria Santos Farm Narino Colombia Sweet Marias Painting Maria Santos Farm Narino Colombia Sweet Marias Sunset Narino Colombia Sweet Marias The mean bull Maria Santos Farm Narino Colombia Sweet Marias IMG .JPG Sweet Marias ad duck friend Maria Santos Farm Narino Colombia Sweet Marias Scarey Priest Sweet Marias They dont like TLC in Popayan Sweet Marias An unusual name for a pickup truck… Sweet Marias Strawberries Sweet Marias Perhaps the best giant mosaic in the world Sweet Marias Worlds smallest coffee pulper Sweet Marias nelson mello Sweet Marias Perhaps the best giant mosaic in the world Sweet Marias Popayan Colombia at night Sweet Marias Popayan Colombia at night Sweet Marias Popayan Colombia at night Sweet Marias Popayan Colombia at night Sweet Marias Bull fights Sweet Marias Footless and tasty in Popayan Sweet Marias Mobile Shop Popayan Sweet Marias Mobile Shop Popayan Sweet Marias Goofyness Popayan Colombia Sweet Marias Motorcycle becomes tiger Popayan Colombia Sweet Marias 
Motorcycle Shop Popayan Colombia Sweet Marias Great drawerings Popayan Colombia Sweet Marias Texaco on road to Narino Colombia Sweet Marias tinto coffee at the gas station Sweet Marias Holy Week Sweet Marias Combustible Sweet Marias Watch out Sweet Marias Another great use for old tires … Sweet Marias Parabolic dryers on the roof of coffee farmer house Sweet Marias Ripe Typica coffee cherry Sweet Marias Bamboo and coffee Sweet Marias Multiplex type bamboo Sweet Marias Coffee cherry Huila Colombia Sweet Marias Mixed ripeness Huila Colombia Sweet Marias Cafe Practices Starbucks is everywhere Huila Colombia Sweet Marias dont mess with this chicken Sweet Marias George Howell and Marcos Aurelia Huila Colombia Sweet Marias Coffee parchment Huila Colombia Sweet Marias Alejandro sniffing coffee parchment Sweet Marias People and plastic Huila Colombia Sweet Marias Raised beds inside parabolic dryer Huila Colombia Sweet Marias Marcos Aurelia Huila Colombia Sweet Marias Great chickens of Colombia Huila Colombia Sweet Marias Marcos and family Huila Colombia Sweet Marias 
Bogota Colombia G Spot Sweet Marias peligro …anarchistas bravas Sweet Marias super whopper king bogota colombia Sweet Marias a classic whats it Sweet Marias new definition of mini van Sweet Marias bogota fantasy Sweet Marias home coke delivery Sweet Marias ready to get rugged Sweet Marias hot chick motorcycle tank decor Sweet Marias pagoda el museo del chico Sweet Marias el museo del chico with bullet hole Sweet Marias
