THE ESSENCE OF COFFEE SCAA Trainer’s Guide to Specialty Coffee Myth, History, Cultivation through Export

COFFEE BASICS: Harvesting of the Bean Harvesting—Conditions Determining the Number of Harvests The Timing of the Harvest Harvesting Methods  Selective Picking  Strip Picking  Mechanical Harvesting

HARVESTING OF THE BEAN A particular region’s temperature and rainfall determine the number of harvests during the year. Growing regions such as Brazil, which experience 1 distinct rainy season, will produce 1 crop and 1 harvest per season. Costa Rica on the other hand, has 2 distinct rainy seasons and usually produces 2 annual crops.

Colombia’s hilly terrain provides diverse and distinct microclimates for growing coffee.

Each microclimate has its own growing cycle thus harvesting can take place almost all year long. In regions where the rainfall is more equally distributed throughout the year, flowers, immature berries, and ripe cherries can appear all at the same time on a single coffee branch.

Rain as you may have guessed, serves as a signal to the coffee plant. Within about two weeks after the rain, the coffee plant will begin to flower. It is from the fertilized ovary of the flowers that coffee berries begin to develop. coffee cherry

The Timing of the Harvest Coffees are harvested at varying times of the year depending on their relationship to the Equator. Countries North of the Equator harvest between September and December. Examples of these include Ethiopia and Guatemala.

Countries South of the Equator primarily harvest in April or May though the harvesting season can last until August. Examples of these include Brazil and Zimbabwe. Those countries that are situated on the Equator and take advantage of planting at different altitudes are able to harvest nearly all year around. Examples of these include Colombia and Sumatra.

Harvesting Methods The harvesting methods used are largely determined by the number and types of harvests as well as by the terrain.

Selective Picking When the coffee cherry is in various stages of maturation on the same tree, a method of harvesting is used called Selective Picking. This method requires the pickers to walk among the trees with baskets or bags secured to their waists. With both hands free, the pickers pick only the ripe cherries from each tree.

Selective Picking

This process is very labor intensive. As the beans mature, pickers are sent back out to pick the ripe cherries. During the harvesting season, this occurs every 8 to 10 days.

Strip Picking Strip Picking is used in areas with distinct seasonality and when all of the coffee cherries ripen at the same time. With one rapid movement, a picker places a hand around the branch and pulls from the base of the branch to the tip. Coffee cherries as well as leaves and twigs fall into a cloth placed on the ground. All of the debris is picked or sifted out leaving only the cherries.

Mechanical Harvesting Mechanical Harvesting relies on a machine to shake the coffee trees and knock the ripe cherries onto a conveyor belt. This method offers lower labor costs. However its use is limited for it requires flat terrain and long, even rows of coffee trees in order to be effective. The majority of the world’s coffee harvest is picked by hand. Coffee harvesting, therefore, is a laborious and intensive seasonal process.

Mechanical Harvesting

Cherry Pickers must be skilled in both the method of hand picking as well as in their ability to identify ripe, perfect cherries. Cherries that are defective in any way can spoil the rest of the crop.