Coffee Day #2

Today, Sunday July 11th, Monica and the kids joined me for our second
day of coffee during this trip. We were hosted by Elliot Benson of
Schluter, a 100-year-old African coffee export company, and Elliot's
friend Ngomi, a Tanzanian of German descent who owns his own guide
company.

We started the day at Burka Estate, the largest coffee plantation in
Tanzania with around 700 acres under plantation. After a tour around
the fields with James, the very knowledgeable and experienced Kenyan
farm director, we joined Edwin, another Kenyan, in the cupping lab.
Edwin is in charge of the coffee quality at Burka. He is a Q grader
and has an impressive knolwedge of all influencers of coffee quality.
When he came to Burka a few years ago he brought a meticulous grading
and record-keeping process unlike I've ever seen at a coffee farm.
Through this process, they are able to produce some really nice
coffees at the relatively low elevation of around 2,000 feet.

After a nice lunch with Edwin, we traveled to the mountains above
Monduli Town to visit a higher-elevation farm puchased by Burka around
three years ago. Monica, Elliot, and I toured the Mondul Estate mill
and fields with James and the local manager Hugh, another Kenyan.
Keen on avoiding any more coffee talk, the kids and Ngomi struck up a
game of soccer with a handful of local boys.

Hugh is a delightful man who shared with us the work they have done to
rehabilitate this farm, their unique soil situation, and their plans
to go from 90 to 200 acres under cultivation. This is a lovely farm at
around 4,500 feet elevation and I have no doubt it will produce good
volumes of really nice coffee.

Elliot and I joined the soccer game for a few minutes, then our kids
said 'kwa heri' to the local boys and gave them the soccer ball we had
brought. After a nice sundowner on the patio of the estate main house,
which has beautiful 270 degree views of the surrounding country, we
piled into the van for the 90 minute drive back to the lodge.