Heavenly Harvest Coffee grows on a beautiful 120 acre farm in Nicaragua’s “Triangle of Gold.” It is located on Nicaragua’s west coast in the state of Carazo and sits atop a mountain range that is 1,903 feet above sea level. This area is known nation wide for its rich soil that has been fertilized over the years by volcanic ash. Carazo has a distinct rainy season from June to November, precipitating an average of 50 inches of rain a year, and a dry season from December to May. The average temperature on the farm is 75°F. The rich soil conditions, ideal altitude and perfect climate combine to create the smooth, full flavor of Heavenly Harvest Coffee.
In addition to coffee, the farm produces mangos, mandarin oranges, bananas, avocadoes, guayava, pineapples, and more. Many beautiful flowers naturally grow on the farm. It is also home to Nicaragua’s national bird, the Turquoise-browed Motmot.
The farm holds over 60,000 coffee plants which are grown under shade trees. The two main varieties of Arabica coffee plants on the farm are Catuai (yellow bean) and Caturra (red bean). Though not a certified organic farm, we use no insecticides on our coffee. The coffee plants produce their fragrant white blossoms three times per season: in February, April, & May. It takes 6 to 9 months for the coffee cherry to develop and ripen after flowering, which means that harvesting can begin as early as August and last until the first of February.
We give the highest care at each stage of the coffee process to produce an excellent cup of coffee.
Harvesting
Each cherry of Heavenly Harvest Coffee is hand selected for ripeness. During the harvesting season, we employ up to 100 Nicaraguans to pick our coffee. Harvesting is a family affair, and husbands and mothers pick coffee together while their children play up and down their row.
Coffee harvesters are paid by volume (a measurement called “medio”), not time. We pay a premium wage per "medio" to ensure that our workers will take the time and care to harvest only the ripest cherries. The freshly picked coffee cherries are taken to begin processing the very same day.
Preparing for Roast
Heavenly Harvest Coffee cherries go through wet separation to remove the outer skin from the bean in a process called depulping. The beans then soak in water overnight to ferment and remove the syrup-like residue. The coffee is then ready for sun drying, where the coffee is spread on large patios and must be carefully turned several times a day to produce even drying.
The dry green coffee beans are again examined for quality. All damaged or imperfect beans that adversely affect the flavor of the coffee are eliminated, leaving only the premium beans for roasting.
Roasting
The process begins by roasting a small amount of coffee at different levels: light, medium, dark, and everything in between. Each roast is then sampled and the optimal flavor is chosen. Heavenly Harvest Coffee is not roasted based on a predetermined level. Our master roaster determines the finest roast level that will reveal the true quality and flavor of the beans.
Each roast is sampled.
The master roaster then roasts the coffee in batches, reviewing the beans throughout to determine when the desired darkness is reached and ensuring uniformity in the roasting. Roasting coffee is not a science, but an art. Each batch of coffee must be carefully watched and tested to guarantee the desired flavor is achieved. To end the process, our master roaster samples each batch as it leaves the roaster to make certain that every cup holds the rich flavor, full aroma and smooth finish that you desire.