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Permalink Reply by Joachim Oster on January 16, 2009 at 1:03pm

A bit late for giving tips for your trip. But just in case somebody else is interested:

There are two websites with farms listed: http://www.kona-coffee-council.com/, http://www.konacoffeefarmers.com

Some farms overlap, but anyone wanting to visit/contact a farm will have many options. The two organizations have a bit of a fight with each other. (One accuses the other of being processor controlled, and the other is accused of being controlled by 'gentlemen farmers' with no real stake in coffee.) Many of the listed farms have websites where you can get an impression of a particular farm. Some small farms have a B&B attached or at least one nearby. MAke sure you visit a few while here to get a better overall picture. Some even look for seasonal helpers.

The good things about Kona are the proximity to the USA, English being first language, seed to cup production often all in one farm, and many farmers interested to make direct connections to small roasters and cafés. And the non-coffee things-to-do are not bad either: Active volcanoes, beaches, snorkeling, jungle hikes, horseback riding, and much more. No snakes, no creepy crawlers, no immunization shots (or passport when traveling from the US) needed.

The most prominent café is probably Lava Java on Alii Drive down in Kailua-Kona. Right on the shore line and the center hub for the IronMan Triathletes each fall.

The 'Coffee Shack' in South Kona has a splendid view to Kealakekua Bay below, relatively cheap tasty food, and their own grown 100% Kona coffee. But the brewing and roasting of theirs leaves many things to be desired.

Contact me directly if you need more info - I am a Kona coffee farmer myself.

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