Vacation nature study is a great way to learn more about the natural beauty and richness of a new place. We always try to include learning in our travel time and Hawaii affords some unique opportunities.
Especially for coffee lovers. Which I am….a lover of Kona coffee.
We visited two coffee farms on the Big Island of Hawaii and were able to tag along on a coffee tour at both places. The first farm was Mountain Thunder and we drove up the side of the mountain/volcano to try out their organic coffees. We met up with the tour and the first thing the guide showed us were the coffee trees.
Did you know that coffee continually blooms from February to October…at the upper elevation of this particular farm? You can have blossoms, green cherries, and red cherries all on the same branch. You harvest the berries when they are red so with coffee there is no one time harvest, it is a continual process.
We picked a few cherries ourselves, opened them up and tasted the sweet, slimy inside around the bean. There are normally two beans in every cherry (when there is only one round bean it is called a “peaberry”). The red skins are not wasted. They either compost them or make them into “Kona Red” which is a product rich in antioxidants. We were able to taste Kona Red tea and it was light and tasty.
Can you smell the heavenly aroma of coffee beans roasting? We were able to observe the whole process from bean picking to roasting at Mountain Thunder. Afterwards, we tasted coffee, sipping the steaming cups and delighting in the heady fragrance of the,100% Kona coffee. I chose a package of whole beans to bring home and enjoy here in California plus a box of dark chocolate espresso beans (haven’t cracked the box yet…waiting).
Here was the resident cat at Mountain Thunder…..she looks like she needs a cup of the good stuff.
We also visited a coffee farm lower down in elevation. Greenwell Farms is a popular tourist stop and they were geared up for lots of tasting there. This was our second visit but our first time touring the farm. We were able to actually walk out and see the rows and rows of trees.
Here we saw the beans as “parchment” where they are drying in the sheds. They pull back the sliding roof and stir the beans. It was amazing how much work goes into a coffee bean to make my little cup of coffee. I know one of my readers is also a lover of Kona coffee and she drinks Greenwell Farms Chocolate Macadamia Nut Coffee (Hi Ellen!) but I am in love with their Chameleon Blend Kona Coffee.
One last photo especially for Tricia over at Hodgepodge. Can you believe the size of these hydrangeas? These were along the road near Mountain Thunder and I thought of you when I saw them…had to stop to take a photo.
We really enjoyed the coffee farms on our trip but that was not the only opportunity we made for nature study related activities. I will post soon about our ocean adventures.
Oh! I learned so much about beloved coffee. Pulling back the roof to stir the beans. Wow. I love how you revealed each part of your trip. Sounds like an absolutely perfect vacation – surrounded by coffee, ocean adventures and gorgeous (huge!) hydrangeas! I’m thrilled with a photo of Hawaiian hydrangeas! Thank you. And to know you have a bag full of vacation coffee to enjoy at home too – aaah.
We were at Greenwell last year. It was one of the highlights to our trip-we had the guide all to ourselves and so he took extra time with us and it was very interesting.
We actually had the kids do a Honu (sea turtle) study while there (mini one) b/cuz our hotel was in the bay area that they love-and the Lord provided a massive one who was sunning himself and would allow us to get right up next to him. Definitely a memory to treasure.
Glad your trip was great. 🙂
This is the best, Barb! Field trip and Nature Study! 🙂
Hi! We just got back last weekend from Maui as well! We didn’t visit any coffee farms while we there, but we did go to the Maui Plantation. They have pineapple plants, coconut, avocado, sugarcane, coffee, and more. I also found the coffee to be interesting. I’m not a coffee drinker myself, but I was surprised that the berry red outside was tasty. It was interesting how the plant looks and to imagine the process that it takes from that berry to a coffee bean. We also saw some beautiful flowers – my favorite being the plumeria. Beautiful islands! 😉
How cool. I’ve never seen a coffee farm.
Hi Barb! Loved the post (of course). It was especially exciting to see your photo of the drying shed at Greenwell Farms; I was right there! Chameleon blend, hmm? That wasn’t part of their sample selection when we were there in June. What makes it so special for you? Next time, I’m heading to Thunder Mountain (name??) as well. Have I mentioned before how envious I am of your proximity to the Big Island? 🙂
Ellen,
Yes, Mountain Thunder is worth the little drive up out of Kailua, towards Waimea. The drive itself is beautiful and the people there were very nice. I learned so much about organic coffee farming and growing beans at a higher elevation. Interesting.
Chameleon Blend is not quite so bold as most of the 100% Kona coffees. It has more of a sweet, I think cherry-like, aftertaste. This is coffee you can definitely drink black. Too bad it is so very expensive but as a treat it is delightful. I finished my bag of beans and now I can dream about it and look forward to getting some more on my next trip.
Oh, I love this post. We spent some time this past winter on the big island and did a tour of mountain thunder. It is a wonderful place. We also toured Hula Daddy and that was a very fun coffee tour also. Thanks for pictures, they are making me dream of another trip to the Island. We had our kids keep journals and do a few nature study items there as well. Perhaps in your spare time (joking) you should do a Nature Study Handbook on Hawaii. I’d be first in line to get that one.
Colleen,
I would do a Hawaiian nature study ebook but only if I get to go and do all the research first hand. 🙂
We love the Big Island and I dream of going just about every day. I have a friend that lives in Kohala and she has a room any time I want to visit….
Dreaming now.