STiR coffee and tea magazine

42 STiR coffee and tea / Issue 6, 2017 (December / January) By Kelly Stein I Biodynamic Brazil Biodynamic production forces a trade off of quantity to achieve quality results A blind cupping by 16 of the best Cup of Excellence judges in the world awarded a complex Brazilian natural all-time record score of 93.60. The coffee from Fazenda Camocim was the first coffee produced by biodynamic methods to ever win the top prize. t was a typical hot day at Domingos Martins in mountainous Espirito Santo. Hen- rique Leivas Sloper de Araujo was leading a group of Cup of Excellence (COE) visitors on a tour of his farm. He first explained how raised beds are important for uniform drying. He then described in detail how the farm's post-harvest machinery selects the best cherries. Nothing new until he begins describing the vital role that manure-filled cow horns buried in the dead of night, mineral crystals, and cycles of the moon improve the sen- sorial qualities of his coffee and create a healthy environment for all. "Plants, insects, animals, and people – mankind – are intertwined, working to- gether, as one living being," said Sloper with a big smile. His approach, which is un- conventional and uncommon, was credible because Sloper had just earned the highest cupping score of any natural in the history of COE competitions. The Alliance for Coffee Excellence notes that the 93.60 score, awarded by a panel of judges from 16 countries, also earned Sloper a place in the history books as the first farm from Espirito Santo to win top honors and the first biodynamic coffee to ever win first place in any COE competition globally. The tropical heat was stifling checking out the processing machinery, the ware- house and the greenhouses where the coffee is dried. But as soon as the guests entered the coffee plantation all could immediately feel a steady refreshing breeze. Shade-grown coffee is not very common in Brazil. Soil moisture is more easily retained under a canopy of trees and bushes, making the temperature bearable. Vegetal material on the farm conveys an image of a sloppy or messy lot for most producers and coffee professionals. Sloper explained that leaving ground cover in place is an important technique for enriching the earth with nutrients. The shade guarantees higher humidity for the coffee trees, even in a drought that harms yields on conventional farms. Biodynamic practices assume the farm as a unique living holistic organism. The emphasis is on discovering the source of problems, not treating its symptoms. Drying and sorting natural-processed coffee in raised beds at Fazenda Camocim in Espirito Santo

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