Gecko Shoes

Although most people do not associate the coffee farms in Hawaii, he is the only state in the Union which has climate and soil where the coffee plants can thrive. Rich, slightly acid soil, volcanic morning sunny afternoon with sunny and over 60 inches of rain during the summer months provide an ideal environment for growing coffee primo.

There are many traditional Hawaiian coffee grown in Hawaii, but for this trip, I chose to visit the Big Island of Hawaii to visit the area where Kona coffee farm is operated.

To better explore the true "Aloha" of Hawaii husband Shaun and I opted for two very distinctive Kip Bed & Breakfast located in Kona coffee belt instead of the typical resort hotel where most of the palm trees Tourists love to go.

Roger Diltz, owner of Aloha Farm Bed & Breakfast formerly a place of refuge B & B gave us directions to find his house key (elevation 800 feet) between Kealakekua Bay and Honaunau National Park Puuhonua O (City of Refuge) . When you try to find anywhere in this region, it is wise to drive during the day because the roads are not well marked and street signs is not so easily detectable during the day are almost invisible in the night.

Before our arrival in this B & B eco-tourism, Roger, offshore fishing for the catch of the day, left his dog Koa and a note on the door to greet us. Disarmament first, this Rottweiler / Lab mix has become our companion for a morning stroll the grounds before breakfast at 7:30 am

We thought a warning might be necessary. But as daylight broke, the sounds of the jungle "began as Twitter and only 20 minutes in the birds had their orchestrated crescendo of calls in a full blown tweets, cackles and whistles.



The aroma of Kona coffee floating in the house as Roger prepared a breakfast-side with sticky syrup Jaboticaba smaller loaves coconut. The view at breakfast from the verandah (covered porch) was exactly as you imagine, a tropical forest of exotic flora backdrop of indigo in the ocean where a person could see.

Evenings at the farm were quite amusing Aloha. We have been invaded by hordes of nocturnal geckos as they arrived in force glued to the walls like gum to a shoe. These shy lizards Chartreuse kept the mosquitoes away as potted plants lemongrass. In the distance, the dull echo of lawyers drop five pounds over-laden tree branches usually lead Koa investigate if it could be a wild pig.

But every morning, we did not anticipate the normal tourist snorkel, kayak or swim with dolphins, tour-. Instead, we have painstakingly tried to draw farms hidden in this region which is only two to three miles wide, twenty miles long and lies on the southwestern coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. We wanted to know how Kona coffee has been picked, pulped, fermented, dried, ground (hull) and roasted. (You do not know there were so many processes to get this cup has opened my eyes every morning, now you have done?)

Our itinerary took us first Langenstein Farms where manager Darcee Lucas has met for a non-traditional excavation.

As we entered the roasting chamber, Darcee took three cups of porcelain much alone with a pot of freshly brewed coffee on a corner table, no cream or sugar in sight. Shaun, an instant coffee drinker, frowned, I got the "How will I drink coffee without milk?" Look.

As Darcee versa, "she said," Now, take your cup and watch the oil floating above the coffee. Notice the colors. The smell of coffee. Now, drink the coffee. "We tasted this classic delicate, cleanly fruity, floral cup of Kona coffee. I could see a sigh of relief Shaun ..