Good Land Organics: Growing Coffee in Cali - Ep. 9
We all know good coffee grows near the equator. Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, Guatemala, Panama. Aside from a few outliers like Hawaii, it doesn't grow further north than southern Mexico. And for the most part it grows in poor countries. The cherries all ripen at a different time making picking by hand the preferred method, too expensive at $10 minimum wage.
... So why is one farmer trying to grow coffee in California?
Good Land Organics - California Grown Coffee
I first exchanged emails with Jay, owner of Good Land Organics, when he subscribed to Angels' Cup. His email address rang a bell because I had just watched this youtube video on the LA coffee scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYryKbPjm4s It's really a short documentary that first takes us on a tour of the Good Land Organics farm, and then to an Intelligentsia cupping table where it's on the table with Geishas. Here's their conclusion:"Pretty damn good for a California coffee, that's exciting to see. It definitely surprised me, the coffee was more complex than I expected, it really surprised us all. Pretty awesome, that's a victory for California coffee."That's a solid endorsement from a reputable company, that wasn't under any pressure to say nice things. I haven't actually tried the coffee yet, so I can't really weigh in on the conversation. But the 2016 harvest is starting now and those coffees should be hitting the market in a few month. I'll be first on line, super excited to give them a try!