Farming Abroad - Coffee Harvest in El Salvador

Working with Luis Gutierrez and his son on La Finca de Cristiani Burkard in El Salvador, I learn how coffee is harvested at high elevations on the side of an active volcano. The bright red coffee beans are hand picked and fill heavy bags that are carried across steep terrain to the trucks that are waiting to haul them down the rough mountain dirt roads. At the washing and drying facility in the valley below, coffee is prepared one of three ways: natural, washed, and honey. I learned all about the different flavor nuances of the different varieties and preparation methods by taking part in a taste test, which happens regularly on the farm to ensure the the coffee is meeting their highest quality standards. After the beans are washed, they are moved to either raised beds or "the patio," where they are continually hand stirred while they dry under the hot sun. Lastly the coffee beans are bagged and ready for export out to all parts of the world. I can't thank Wilbur-Ellis enough for their support on this trip. Not only did they help sponsor the video, they were also my connection to this amazing coffee farm in El Salvador. Our farm here in Oregon has been loyal Wilbur-Ellis customers for many years now and we've established strong relationships at the company with people that are helping us maintain our crop health and helping manage our farm's inputs. Luis, in El Salvador, had the same nice things to say about his experience working with Wilbur-Ellis as well, which was great to hear. Wilbur-Ellis has been a great company to work with and I'm honored that they wanted to help make this video happen. https://www.wilburellis.com/