Another Slice of Paradise!

[Cap'n Jib]

Another Slice of Paradise!

Trials

I might at times give the impression that life here in Panama is perfect or idyllic. Ah, but what do you know? The other day I was sitting…ok laying, in my recliner out at the new property we have bought. The property, which is located halfway up the mountain, was a former producing coffee plantation with 4 feet of volcanic top soil. We still have over 40 coffee plants (but more later). Cool, clean, fresh, yes! And it has two ‘pretty darn OK views’, one of the valleys below and another of the mountain above.

There I was, performing my oversight duties on the construction of our privacy/security wall which is an arduous task in itself and fighting the temptation to doze. My olfactory nerves jangled me out of my stupor. One of them damn trucks that go up and down the mountain twice a week was affecting my ‘work’ efforts. I didn’t have to look to see that it was a Café Sutton company truck caring freshly roasted coffee beans up the mountain to go thru another process.

The smell was much more powerful than my ability to resist. We do NOT have electricity on site (yet another story), so I had to shake the residue of my ‘work’ efforts from my eyes and staggered to my truck. Drove the entire 2 kilometers down the mountain to the coffee shop where I indulged in a cup of joe.

And you guys THINK you have it tough!


Yet Another Trial

Decided to explore our little coffee plantation, put on my pith helmet, grabbed a beer and off I went. I knew I was being a bit reckless, by not taking a cooler with me, but a man gotta do what a man gotta do. I carefully went over every plant on the property…which took about 10 minutes or so.

My harvest….1 bean.

[Blacknight]

Sounds realy pain ful to me

[HonkyTonk]

"1 bean. "

I hope you smoked it

[Cap'n Jib]

The Bean, the whole Bean, and nothing but the Bean!

I had wondered why there was only one bean that was fully ripened on the 40 or so coffee plants. Didn’t take long to figure out the why of it. :detective:

First, the plants had not been attended to for about 10 years. They need regular pruning and maintenance and these were left on their own, after the rest of the plants were cut and destroyed. The best, i.e. most profitable, year for coffee in Panama, was in 1981 or 1986 depending on who you talk to. Panama is currently tied with Angola and Central African Republic at 13,200,000 pounds per year of production. The top five coffee producing countries are Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia and Ethiopia. That little bean from Ethiopia, apparently has work visas in 78 other countries.

Second, IF there are any stray beans on any plants in the area, the indigenous pickers of coffee go through the plants one last time. This is a method for them to get a bit of pocket money. I SHOULD have picked up on the ‘missing’ beans after the fourth or fifth person I gave a ride to down the mountain. They were all carrying small plastic bags of coffee beans. For all I know they could have been MY beans!

Three, ain’t got no chickens! Chickens are used to fertilize and work the soil around the plants. When they quit hunting and pecking, they are served.....so to speak.

Not to worry though. Today, the Mrs. bought 50 more coffee plants and will be using them as a privacy hedge from the future inhabitants of the next lot. The guy who spends the night on site has a bit of experience growing coffee. His dad is an overseer of a plantation and will be giving us tips.

So what has this got to do with women and Latin America? It would appear, at least from my experience, IF you marry a Colombiana, you will end up working on a coffee finca. Where did I lay that machete?

[Sawyer]

Jib,

Ah how I long for such work! I'm not a coffee person at all, but the trials and challenges of having an up and coming coffee plantation such as yours is my ultimate dream. If you ever need a foreman on your job site, to give you a much needed day off, please let me know. I work cheap and have almost as sharp an eye as you do!

[Cap'n Jib]

Sawyer,

Thanks but it is a bit of a streach in referring to us as have a plantation. I mean only 100 plants or so.

Do you think I should buy a horse to ride and inspect the plants?

If you show up, you will have to learn to love coffee. Here in the highlands, the BEAN rules!

[John Wayne]

Horses? I thought all those Coffee Barons used donkeys.....

[Cap'n Jib]

Coming from a long line of jackasses myself, I prefer NOT to get other close relatives involved in my business.

[John Wayne]

Wise man Capt Jib....very wise...And BTW Happy Mother Day in LA......

[Micky10]

JW -
Cn'J has a hybred bred. A mule out of Seattle Slew named Seattle Few. He saunters around the "Plantation" on the back of his untrusty steed in a desperate search for the SECOND bean. That is going to be one great cup of joe!

Love - Micky