This is the lush landscape of the Eastern Highlands in Papua New Guinea.
Photos c/o Counter Culture Coffee's FlickrBaroida is a serious contender for quality in the specialty coffee market. The farm was founded in the 1960′s by Ben Colbran and his family. The farm was sold to a trust in 1979. For many years Ben’s son Nichol Colbran managed Baroida without ownership.
Photos c/o Counter Culture Coffee's FlickrAfter a six year hiatus from managing the farm, Nichol purchased his family’s farm back from the trust. He found the farm had been badly mismanaged and had fallen into a state of disrepair. Nichol and his family began the daunting task of refurbishing the practices of quality on the farm. Needless to say, good job guys! This farm produces coffee that yields an exciting and vibrantly sweet cup.
We are fans of Baroida, but I was beside myself when I heard that Counter Culture’s first micro-lot from Papua New Guniea was available. Of course, I was even more excited to find out the micro-lot was connected with Baroida!
The micro lot represents one day’s worth of washing and is primarily comprised of coffee from a single village named Bonta. This selection has even more intensity and complexity. Sadly, civil war has sprung up recently in the region and the village’s harvest has been destroyed. This is yet another reason to treasure this micro-lot because it may take a few years before we will see this coffee again. Unfortunately, political instability, civil wars, and even genocides are not uncommon in coffee producing regions. Hopefully buying this coffee and praising the people who produce it will, in some small way, help to support the rebuilding of the village.
