STiR coffee and tea magazine

44 STiR coffee and tea / Issue 6, 2017 (December / January) "We consider planetary alignment to make strategic decisions here. For example, we avoid work on the fields or making big changes during an eclipse because the cosmic forces are pretty intense at that time," explained Sloper. His first contact with biodynamics was in 2007 when his friend Nicolas Joly, the famous French winegrower, visited his farm. "He asked me if I could see the elementary beings in the forest. I laughed at him at that time, but now I get it," he said. Since then, alternative and spiritual methods are applied in all property. Considering that coffee is a perennial crop, the way to cultivate biody- namically is quite different when compared to vegetables such as lettuce and tomatoes. That is why he hired an on-site biodynamic specialist to monitor changes in material or energy. A special agricultural calendar for coffee guides his decisions through the year. Biodynamic practices take into account lunar and astrological influences on soil and plant development. Harvests, pruning, fertilization, and soil management is determined both by the phases of the moon and constellations in the zodiac. Steiner's method calls for nine different biodynamic preparations that are used to improve soil nutrition and enhance plant performance. These mixes are numbered from 500 to 508. The first and most basic is used to prepare the fields. The rest are used to generate a rich compost. Steiner believed that his techniques connects cosmic and terrestrial energies in the soil. The prepara- tions are placed in horns from a cow and buried. "The [role of the cow's] horn is the energy connection. It is like an antenna signaling the universe," he explains. "We use a cow horn for every five hectares. It is important that this animal has given birth before removing its horn," he said. Sloper fills the horns with organic manure and buries them in different places at Fazenda Camocim, leaving them in the ground for six months. After this period, he then mixes this energetic preparation with water in a wood barrel and applies the mixture on his fields prior to the arrival of winter. The 'preparation of light' calls for 60 grams of crystal (silica) mixed in 60 liters of water and it is applied before summer. These elements are mixed in a barrel close to the coffee plants. The ritual takes one hour. "The staff takes turns mixing everything with a swirl or vortex. The prepa- ration day is almost a party because everybody is gathered for this purpose," said Sloper. According to the Brazilian Biodynamic Association director Alexandre Vidal, this philosophy is not common in Brazil yet. "Curiosity and interest in biodynamic farming has increased in the last few years. More producers, even traditional ones, are looking for Demeter certification," he said. The main obstacle slowing adoption of biodynamic agriculture is a lack of information. "People confuse these techniques with black magic or witchery," says Sloper with a smile. The Demeter certification, a global brand that assures that producers are following the biody- namic procedures, guarantees that Fazenda Ca- mocim is respecting this philosophy in different products. Besides specialty coffee, the property also produces jams, jellies, coffee blossom honey, coffee cascara tea (from coffee husks), and also the famous and exotic Jacu Bird coffee. The original 160 hectare farm was acquired by Olivar Fontenelle de Ara jo in 1962, but the cof- fee plantation expanded to 300,000 plants when his grandson Henrique Sloper took over the farm's management in 1999. Sloper respected the family's tradition and did not use chemical and industrial products such as fungicides and fertilizers in the fields. The coffee is surrounded by native fauna and flora in a special part of Domingos Martins city. The astonishing monolithic rock called Pedra Azul (in a rough translation – Blue Stone) enriches the mystical scenery. It is visible from any point on plantation, which enjoys a privileged view. Fazenda Camocim was the pioneer in organic coffee production in Espirito Santo. The farm be- gan growing specialty coffee in the 1990's. "The transition process from organic to bio- dynamic wasn't expensive. Usually, shifting a tra- ditional farm to organic/biodynamic agriculture can be pricy but my lands were all organic already. The biggest investment was in training the staff," explained Sloper. Nowadays, the property's production is certi- fied by Demeter (international biodynamic certifi- cation), it has earned the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association's quality and sustainability certifica- tion and is certified organic by IBD (institute that manages organic certification in Brazil.) With all these certifications, the international market started buying his products especially the high-quality coffees. "The biodynamic coffees are now exported to 27 countries in Europe, the US, Australia, and Asia," he concluded. Cupping scores Fazenda Camocim achieved were the best globally in 2017 Shade coffee trees and forest canopy are Sloper's strategy to promote quality without harming the environment. He strives to keep cosmic and biological energies in balance.

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