Mystical Banahaw coffee

We were invited to talk to coffee farmers in Quezon, my first time to meet a group there after almost 30 years in the industry. I guess I never went back to the place after my sad experience planting coffee in Lucban, when I was such a greenhorn I thought coffee could grow anywhere. My first coffee project in 1997 failed. So I scratched Quezon off my imaginary coffee map.

But recently a friend said he had bought coffee from Pinagdanglayan in Dolores, Quezon. I got curious because this coffee roaster would not lie. He said it was good but the beans got to him unsorted. In coffee processing, we sort the beans lovingly and manually after they dry to the correct moisture level. We remove black beans, broken ones, foreign material and other defects that may cause good coffee to taste bad. So I told my friend I would go to the source and check what they had.

So we met the farmers one cloudy day. We brought some coffee to brew and share with them. They have already had so many trainings in coffee from the government, NGOs and other agencies. I thought: “What else could we share with them?” I was feeling my way around, checking what they still wanted to know about our industry practices, our purpose in meeting them and if they would still be interested in even more coffee talk.

It was, however, gratifying to know they already know a lot about our past campaigns such as:

• Pick red – pick only the ripest (usually red or yellow) fruits of the coffee tree;

• Promoting Liberica or Barako variety – it’s now one of the most expensive varieties. I feel especially happy because 20 years ago this was sold with Robusta, the most affordable variety. Today they pick the Barako and separate them from Robusta and sell them at a higher price;

• Correct storage – I saw hermetically-sealed bags of coffee in their warehouse. They had the right moisture alright, but were they good enough?

Yes, it takes 20 or so years to get a group to accept and implement changes in an industry with age-old practices. In most of our visits,  many farmers are already set in their ways, they have no succession plan and most probably coffee will die with their generation. But we carry on. We still teach and share even if the average age of these farmers could be 57 years old.

Even if they have been to countless seminars and trainings, they lent their ears to our group of women champions and advocates of Philippine coffee. After a couple of hours of sharing, guess what? We found a most interesting group whose minds and hearts opened to us, helped by cups of Arabica and Robusta coffee and a snack of sweetened banana turon and banana “cue” without sticks.

As my co-speaker and I wrapped up our open forum, we knew we had made a little dent in their interest quotient. They now want another training, they want Barako seedlings and they want to learn more about different enterprise opportunities in coffee and whatever crops could grow with it on Mount Banahaw. Nestled at 1,500 feet and higher, their coffee farms enjoy a biodiverse natural environment and the added feature of being grown on a mystical mountain.

Mount Banahaw must be our biggest draw for Faith Tourism, as pilgrims come not only during Holy Week but all year round. We visited the National Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows and said a prayer before our farmer meet-up. We then drove just a few minutes to a meeting place – the roasting facility of this farmers’ association, with tall coffee trees in the background. “Tall is no good, we tell them.” “Prune your trees,” we continue. We knew they would be resistant to change when we first opened up the discussion –farmers, especially older ones, usually are. The rules are simple: Prune your trees, pick the fruits only when ripe, dry them well and then sort them.

But guess what? After the banana snacks and lots of coffee, we got them interested to expand their farms, give our suggested process a try and make Pinagdanglayan coffee a legend during their lifetime. We will be back soon and maybe this time meet even more members.

And this is how we expand coffee areas in the country. One group at a time. One community at a time. Each coffee growing community would have its unique situation and unique challenges. But when a local endorses us, it makes the task easier and more sustainable. The “locals” are Banahaw Circle Nature Retreat operators  Jeannie Javelosa and Carlos Loinaz who have been looking for local coffee to serve at their bed and breakfast. They had us “cup” or taste  several samples but the coffee never made the grade. Jeannie found this challenge to be her sign to do something about it. And do something they did. They bought land that will soon be coffee farms!

The resurgence of coffee on Mount Banahaw is happening as we write this, with Carlos and Jeannie already plotting their land and asking us to come with seedlings soon. Carlos and Jeannie listened with clear minds and good hearts to preserve what the mystical mountain offers – forest cover, biodiversity and all of these are good for coffee. With them leading the pack, there now will be coffee tours, coffee shops and yes, maybe mystical and magical coffee very soon.

Jeannie was called back to the mountain during the pandemic, after having started a home there some 30 years ago. We had visited twice in the past as ECHOstore partners but never gave coffee a second look  or even a thought. But timing is key and the Universe tells us when it is the right time to do something out of the ordinary. With the reception we were given by Jeannie’s neighbors, I am certain Banahaw coffee will be a new special origin to try very soon.

And maybe join a coffee trek, and commune with the mystics on Mount Banahaw.