Organic Biodynamic Brazil Fazenda Floresta

My plans for this week changed when I learned on Tuesday that I had been selected for jury duty. I’m sure that many of you have served on a jury before, but it was new to me. It was very interesting: the selection, the trial, and the deliberating with the other jurors. We reached a verdict by yesterday afternoon, so it was a short case. Today I’m back at work, and glad to get my desk cleared off. But I did enjoy being a part of our justice system.

Waking up to snow

Last weekend, we celebrated my daughter’s birthday with a trip to Lake Tahoe. She wanted to play in the snow, and after a sunny February we were glad to see a storm arrive. There was even snow at lake level, and my favorite moment was when she awoke Sunday morning and crept to the window to sit and look at the white world. She also enjoyed swimming in the heated outdoor pool at the hotel, in the snow, and she and her brother had their first experience downhill skiing.

I’m pretty sure that in the header picture you can spot two snowballs coming at me as I tried to get a picture. The four of us had a pretty good snowball fight on Mt. Rose. Unfortunately for me, Trace and Jack throw very accurately! They both got their share of snow, however, and we all had fun.

Our coffee this week comes from the highlands of Brazil, in the eastern state of Bahia. It is grown near Chapada Diamantina National Park, a place of remarkable landscapes, with mesas, waterfalls, and caves. Chapada means tableland, and diamantina refers to the diamond mines found there in the 19th century. The farm where our coffee is grown is Fazenda Floresta, or forest farm, and it is appropriately named.

This is a biodynamic farm, meaning that they go beyond standard organic practices to ensure the health and harmony of their land. They treat the soil as a living organism. Their coffee is grown under trees, and they use crop diversity and manure from their own animals to fertilize their fields. They are committed to taking care of their coffee in an organic and homeopathic manner. In a country where large commercial estates often strip the land and use chemicals to enhance their production, Fazenda Floresta stands out.

This Biodynamic Brazilian shows the care that was taken in its farming with a beautifully balanced bean. Last night Trace prepared a pot of this coffee for us to brew this morning, and all night long we could smell the aroma. It is remarkably sweet, even in the nose. When I drank some it tasted of butter and chocolate, with a sweet creamy body. I had a second cup when I got to the store today, just to enjoy the flavor.

You can try a cup of Organic Biodynamic Brazil Fazenda Floresta on us this week with the code forest farm*. Here in Nevada County we’ve had a week of El Nino storms, with more on the horizon. Despite the rain, I hope that you have a great weekend. We will be attending the wedding of our employee, Salima, and we wish her and her fiance all joy together. Whatever you do this weekend, drink good coffee. Cheers!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Organic Biodynamic Brazilian coffee. Code expires on 3.17.16. Limit one free cup per customer please. Valid only at Carolines Coffee Roasters, 128 S. Auburn Street, Grass Valley, CA. Code/Offer has no cash value.