A trip to the Southern coffee growing areas, including the first visit to Tolima, thanks to a lull in the conflict.
I went 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. Colombian can be very balanced, with good again. The main point of this trip was to get to the coffee areas in south Tolima, Rioblanco and Herrera.
Because it was a bastion of FARC and the Paramilitarios, it was considered one of the last unstable places. It seemed perfectly fine with me, even though the DAS police came to my hotel in Chaparral town to check on what a gringo was doing in the area!
After a great trip to Tolima we faced a heinous drive to Neiva, then down to Pitalito and San Augustin in South Huila. Upon a return to Bogota, we flew up to see the work of Oswaldo Acevedo at Mesa De Los Santos, a coffee we have not seen for years here at SM.
Images of his unique cultivar
USDA is (obviously) the United States Department of Agriculture. USDA also had coffee plant breeding programs in the past and one variety they distributed to Indonesia and was widely planted is called USDA (sounds like garden occupy the later half of this picture log. It took me a while to sort through the images. I just take too many pictures. In fact, as I write this I am headed back to Colombia for the Cup of ExcellenceThe Cup of Excellence is a competition held yearly in many coffee-producing countries, designed to highlight the very best coffees from each origin.: The Cup of Excellence (COE) is a competition held more-or-less yearly in in a couple weeks.
Ah well, I think I will leave the behemoth camera at home and take a point and shoot this time. We visited many Colombia coffee farms in these areas, cooperatives and wet mills. -Tom
Sons of coffee farmers Penna and Imbachi Sweet Marias 
Cupping room of Virmax Bogota Sweet Marias 
Waking up to smiley empanadas in Bogota Sweet Marias 
El Filtro Funciona Bien Sweet Marias 
Divino Nino Chaparral Sweet Marias 
Morning fog in Tolima Sweet Marias 
West Cowboy Semi Truck Sweet Marias 
Bus Station in Bogota Sweet Marias 
The FNC is everywhere Rioblanco Tolima Sweet Marias 
Chicken n eggs Rioblanco Tolima Sweet Marias 
Welcome to Rioblanco Tolima Sweet Marias 
A dog on a mission Rioblanco Tolima Sweet Marias 
Hard candies in Rioblanco Tolima Sweet Marias 
Typical landscape in South Tolima. Sweet Marias 
Hanging Bridge Tolima Sweet Marias 
River near Herrera Tolima a beautiful valley. Sweet Marias 
Puerto Saldana The paramilitary town Tolima Sweet Marias 
Puerto Saldana Tolima Sweet Marias 
Waterfalls of Tolima Sweet Marias 
Newerley Gutierrez and his family Sweet Marias 
The main drag Herrera Tolima Colombia Sweet Marias 
Warehouse at Herrera Tolima Colombia Sweet Marias 
Newerlys cupping lab in Herrera Tolima Colombia Sweet Marias 
Huller and moisture meter Herrera Tolima Colombia Sweet Marias 
Some of our coffees in Herrera Tolima Colombia Sweet Marias 
Herrera Tolima Colombia Sweet Marias 
Maximino Gutierrez coffee in Herrera Tolima Colombia Sweet Marias 
The people of ASOCEAS Tolima Sweet Marias 
Rushing rivers of Tolima Sweet Marias 
Beans the other crop at Florestales Sweet Marias 
Bridge to Finca Florestales Sweet Marias 
Winner Cup of Excellence Sweet Marias 
El Beneficio Humido Coffee pulper Sweet Marias 
Sentimientos Sweet Marias 
Pulper at Florestales Sweet Marias 
A not so great batch of coffee that seemed over fermented Sweet Marias 
Lunch Tolima Sweet Marias 
Machetes at Las Florestales Sweet Marias 
Natalie Las Florestales Sweet Marias 
Casa Elba the roof drying patio. Las Florestales Sweet Marias 
Beans and corn the crops you can eat Finca Florestales Sweet Marias 
On the roof at Finca Florestales Sweet Marias 
Muneco another pinup dog who actually eats coffee chery Sweet Marias 
Yellow Caturra Sweet Marias 
Yellow Caturra Las Florestales Sweet Marias 
Yellow Caturra Las Florestales Sweet Marias 
Caturra blossoms Las Florestales Sweet Marias 
Red Caturra green and ripe Sweet Marias 
Calendar Girl Sweet Marias 
La Roya Coffee Leaf Rust disease Sweet Marias 
Caturra new tips Sweet Marias 
Maximino in the field Sweet Marias 
Oranges Las Florestales Sweet Marias 
Guayaba Las Florestales Sweet Marias 
Red Caturra Las Florestales Sweet Marias 
Aguacate Avocado Las Florestales Sweet Marias 
Pensive Maximino Las Florestales Sweet Marias 
Maximino and Muneca Sweet Marias 
Flowers and fruits and new leaves Sweet Marias 
GPS image of high point at Las Florestales Sweet Marias 
Louis Dreyfus in Colombia Sweet Marias 
What parchment should look like Gildardo Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
Hand sawn Bench Pattern Sweet Marias 
Raised beds in parabolic dryer Gildardo Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
Gildardo Gutierrez and family neighboring farmer and brother of Maximno Sweet Marias 
Pride and Flowers Sweet Marias 
La Familia Gutierrez II Sweet Marias 
La Familia Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
A quick stop at Finca La Pradera Sweet Marias 
Hernan Quintero Finca La Pradera Sweet Marias 
Techno batteries Colombia Sweet Marias 
Hernan Quintero Finca La Pradera Sweet Marias 
Great art Colombia Sweet Marias 
I met a coffee farmer really Hernan Quintero Finca La Pradera Sweet Marias 
Looking at coffee cherry sugars in Herrera with Maximino Sweet Marias 
Its a huller Herrera Tolima Colombia Sweet Marias 
Checking samples Herrera Tolima Colombia Sweet Marias 
Looking at coffee cherry sugars in Herrera with Maximino Sweet Marias 
Refractometer Herrera Tolima Colombia Sweet Marias 
Rugged peaks of Tolima Sweet Marias 
Vintage Russian Jeeps are all over this part of Colombia Sweet Marias 
Him and his house. Sweet Marias 
We broke down in Chapparel Tolima Sweet Marias 
Snack choices Chapparel Tolima Sweet Marias 
So many army police check points Sweet Marias 
Welcome to the Giant No El Gigante town Sweet Marias 
Panela on the roadside one of the best in Colombia Sweet Marias 
Sweet Marias 
Almost Perfec Huila Colombia Sweet Marias 
Racing Wives is a sport in Colombia it seems. Huila Sweet Marias 
The stuff you could buy but I wouldnt Sweet Marias 
That point. Beef point. Sweet Marias 
Its art and its the only good one. Sweet Marias 
Los Idolos parque the map. Sweet Marias 
Some Idolos Sweet Marias 
Coffin for infant Sweet Marias 
Burial Diagram at Los Idolos Sweet Marias 
Standing up for ever and ever. Sweet Marias 
More Idolos Sweet Marias 
Tongue grabber Sweet Marias 
Just to prove they were there Los Idolos Sweet Marias 
Sweet Marias 
Burials Los Idolos Sweet Marias 
Altar at Los Idolos Sweet Marias 
Doctor delivers baby Los Idolos Sweet Marias 
Monkey at Los Idolos Sweet Marias 
Fangy Los Idolos Sweet Marias 
Water garden look for the shapes Los Idolos Sweet Marias 
Dream ride tourists at Los Idolos Sweet Marias 
Jota Gallo pulper at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
Underwater dog in soaking tank. Sweet Marias 
at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
Lone coffee cherry Sweet Marias 
Ripe pintones unripe at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
Skittles of coffee ripeness at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
Sorting out the levels of ripeness at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
GPS image at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
The April Fools Chicken at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
The gun they guard the coffee with at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
Drum separator for unripes at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
Checking Brix measurements of sugars. Fun but pointless too. Sweet Marias 
Pintones are partial ripes. Sweet Marias 
Results from the sugar measurements of coffee cherry at Carlos Imbachis Brix Sweet Marias 
Yellow caturra Pintones partial ripes at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
Glossy red ripe cherry at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
What we separated and measured at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
Over ripes secos Dried and yellow cultivar Sweet Marias 
All the shades of ripeness at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
Caturra blossoms Sweet Marias 
Early stage of coffee rust fungus Sweet Marias 
Chicken in a tree at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
Caturra blossoms Sweet Marias 
Carlos shy Carlos. Sweet Marias 
Chickens roosting in coffee trees at Carlos Imbachis Sweet Marias 
New coffee wisely interplanted with beans Chicken Sweet Marias 
New puppy at Carlos Imbachi farm Sweet Marias 
Fried Fishes of Huila Sweet Marias 
Dusty weird fish on the wall. Sweet Marias 
Get out Gringos Huila Colombia Sweet Marias 
Authentic Idolo in my hotel room Sweet Marias 
Jeez Ryan Anything to get in a picture. Sweet Marias 
Broiler coffee its great. Sweet Marias 
Mr. Proboto Huila Sweet Marias 
Smelling in Huila Sweet Marias 
Just to clarify this gasoline is for your feet not your car. Sweet Marias 
Every small town needs a Sexyshop. Huila Sweet Marias 
Aidas Kinda like Adibas but better. Sweet Marias 
Again my favorite site as you enter Pitalito Huila Sweet Marias 
Eat me the cow beckons to you… Sweet Marias 
International Shop in Gigante Huila Sweet Marias 
Sample roasting in a Behmor Gigante Colombia. El DEsarollo coop. Sweet Marias 
Garden of the international shop looks good Sweet Marias 
Stage for next Coffee Pickers Jam Sweet Marias 
Respect for Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
Drying in the parabola Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
This place is Steep Huila Sweet Marias 
Initial drying is done in the shade little sun. Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
Parabolic dryer Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
About to say something but what Sweet Marias 
This is a traditional coffee pulper friends Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
Pulper and fermentation tanks small and simple. Sweet Marias 
Drum of coffee pulper. When the ridges wear the coffee can be damaged. Sweet Marias 
Puppy dance at Finca Junin Sweet Marias 
Sweet Marias 
My favorite dog at Maximinos farm Sweet Marias 
Puppy you can palm Maximinos farm Sweet Marias 
Protective gear fancy phone Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
Coffee ripe unripe and La Roya too Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
Duck for dinner Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
Cuy Guinea Pig Food. Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
More Roya rust fungus early stages Sweet Marias 
Alejandro gazes out over the coffee lands with a feeling of great satisfaction Sweet Marias 
Dont trash my farm Sweet Marias 
Sweet Marias 
Cafe Abandonado basically. Sweet Marias 
Las Cordilleras de Colombia. The central ranges. Sweet Marias 
Coffee fire wood Sweet Marias 
Small harvest Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
Fern and a spider web strand Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
My favorite dog again. Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
Hygenic. Or dont pee here. Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
Unripes sold to local market. Finca Junin Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
What Roya does to a coffee tree untreated Sweet Marias 
Bamboo mud thatching electric meter. Gigante Colombia. Sweet Marias 
Neighbors Dog of Maximino Gutierrez Sweet Marias 
Pesa Correcta Right Weight. Gigante Colombia. Sweet Marias 
Your local coffee buyer who pays market price. . Gigante Colombia. Sweet Marias 
Parasitic Plants on Telephone lines . Gigante Colombia. Sweet Marias 
Military zone. . Gigante Colombia. Sweet Marias 
Fixed Gear hipsters in Huila Jeez Sweet Marias 
Receiving coffee at El Roble Sweet Marias 
Coffee cherry Finca El Roble Bucaramanga Colombia. Sweet Marias 
Rolling drying beds Finca El Roble Bucaramanga Colombia. Sweet Marias 
Dont ask just eat Finca El Roble Bucaramanga Colombia. Sweet Marias 
Rolling drying beds Finca El Roble Bucaramanga Colombia. Sweet Marias 
Cupping with Don Oswaldo and Ms. Gutierrez de Tolima Finca El Roble Bucaramanga Colombia. Sweet Marias 
The fancy house at Finca El Roble Bucaramanga Colombia. Sweet Marias 
Broca damage rather massive Sweet Marias 
New cultivars Finca El Roble Bucaramanga Colombia. Sweet Marias 
Larger plants at the nursery Hacienda El Roble Sweet Marias 
Cultivar garden at Finca El Roble Bucaramanga Colombia. Sweet Marias 
Coffe SP Sweet Marias 
Coffe SP Sweet Marias 
Caturra X Enarea Sweet Marias 
Caturra X Enarea Sweet Marias 
Variedad Colombia X Coffea Eugenioides Sweet Marias 
Variedad Colombia X Coffea Eugenioides Sweet Marias 
Variedad Colombia X Coffea Eugenioides Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Villalobos Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Villalobos Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Villa Sarchi Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Variegado Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Villa Sarchi Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Variegado Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Variegado Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Variegado Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Variegado Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Wush Wush Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Wush Wush Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Zeguie Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Wush Wush Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Zeguie Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Zeguie Sweet Marias 
C. Canephora CCC Sweet Marias 
C. Canephora CCC Sweet Marias 
C. Canephora CCC Sweet Marias 
C. Canephora Purp. Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Tight Grown Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Tight Grown Sweet Marias 
C. Canephora Purp. Sweet Marias 
C. Canephora Robusta Sweet Marias 
C. Canephora Purp. Sweet Marias 
C. Canephora Purp. Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Sudan Rume Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Sudan Rume Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Sudan Rume Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Sudan Rume Sweet Marias 
Coffea Congensis Sweet Marias 
Coffea Congensis Sweet Marias 
Coffea Congensis Sweet Marias 
Coffea Congensis Sweet Marias 
Coffea Congensis Sweet Marias 
Coffea Congensis Sweet Marias 
Coffea Congensis Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica SL Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica SL Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica SL Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica SL Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica SL Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica SL Sweet Marias 
Coffea Kapakata Sweet Marias 
Coffea Kapakata Sweet Marias 
Coffea Kapakata Sweet Marias 
Coffea Kapakata Sweet Marias 
Coffea Kapakata Sweet Marias 
Coffea Kapakata Sweet Marias 
C. Liberica Arawinensis Sweet Marias 
C. Liberica Arawinensis Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Semperflorens Sweet Marias 
C. Liberica Arawinensis Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Semperflorens Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Semperflorens Sweet Marias 
C. Liberica Dewevri Sweet Marias 
C. Liberica Dewevri Sweet Marias 
C. Liberica Dewevri Sweet Marias 
C. Liberica Dewevri Sweet Marias 
C. Racemosa Sweet Marias 
C. Liberica Dewevri Sweet Marias 
C. Racemosa Sweet Marias 
C. Racemosa Sweet Marias 
C. Racemosa Sweet Marias 
C. Racemosa Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Caturra Erecta Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Caturra Erecta Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Caturra Erecta Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Caturra Erecta Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Moca Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Moca Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Moca Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Mibirizi Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Mibirizi Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Mibirizi Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Local Bronze Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Local Bronze Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Kents Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Kents Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Kents Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Arabusta Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Kents Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Harar Sweet Marias 
Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Harar Sweet Marias 
Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Guayaloa Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Guayaloa Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Jimma Kaffa Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Jimma Kaffa Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Jimma Kaffa Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Amarillo Chinchina Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Gesha A Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Gesha A Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Amarillo Chinchina Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Amarillo Chinchina Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Amarillo Chinchina Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Cera Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Cera Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Murta Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Murta Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Cioccie Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Cioccie Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Polisperma Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Polisperma Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Polisperma Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Polisperma Sweet Marias 
Sweet Marias 
Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Pretoria Perhaps Purpurascens Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Pretoria Perhaps Purpurascens Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Pretoria Perhaps Purpurascens Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Pretoria Perhaps Purpurascens Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Pretoria Perhaps Purpurascens Sweet Marias 
C. Arabica Pretoria Perhaps Purpurascens Sweet Marias 
C Arbabica Moca hectare cultivation Sweet Marias 
C Arbabica Moca hectare cultivation Sweet Marias 
C Arbabica Moca hectare cultivation Sweet Marias 
C Arbabica Moca hectare cultivation Sweet Marias 
C Arbabica Wush Wush hectare cultivation Sweet Marias 
C Arbabica Wush Wush hectare cultivation Sweet Marias 
C Arbabica Racemosa hectare cultivation Sweet Marias 
C Arbabica Racemosa hectare cultivation Sweet Marias 
Path through Mesa de los Santos Sweet Marias 
Flowers at Mesa de los Santos Sweet Marias
