Family
to feel like they are part of your life again. I’ll be honest, I did distance myself from people who don’t understand my vision, who always had something to say, and who doubt it. A lot of those three came from my family at the beginning of this career. I only saw their questions, with the unspoken idea if it will monetize or give me a sustainable income in the future. At this age, I understood it. But before, it became a fuel of “watch me, it will get done”. All doubts were directed to proving myself.
It gets tiring, you know. To be fueled by anger.
This all stopped the moment they finally saw and realized that I’m not stopping and this is a serious dream. They’re particularly my grandparents’ approach was “what do we have, to help get it started now”. In that sense, it feels as if it brought my heart closer to home again. Why I do what I do. Who else can I learn all these from, but from those who doubted & inspires me at the same time. Odd as I may type it out, time is the only factor I cannot control, and that I have to maximize while Nanay and Tatay can move and think with me. Truly, I know nothing. But if Tatay wants to just do it, the urge to work on the dream should already be there. Going back to family, to move cautiously is great to keep in mind, but to also feel the sense of camaraderie makes it easier to move forward.
Family is trouble, family will teach me how to set boundaries, and family will teach me how to trust.
Loyalty : To a company or to the coffee industry
Somehow, it feels as if my gut knew where people stand, the moment they “educate” about coffee. It’s lovely to know who I’d love to learn from.
Does it suck to see right through people’s character? Yes, because this is why I don’t have that many friends. No, because I also don’t need that many friends. Sorting my way through so I don’t have to waste time on potential traitors lol! Ok. Not kidding but those who do most work in coffee out of personal interests will truly suck the life and love out of you.
Why? It’s because they lie on the actual facts of what the industry goes through just to look good in front of their customers & to earn that google review! Ok, this isn’t a blog rage. Trust your gut. Know your crowd. It’s an investment of how you’ll move forward. I truly appreciate the right people that came into my career and life. As a picky person, I deserve the recognition that I eventually chose well. My past frustration can now only cause relief of how I currently live. So thank you self.
Don’t blame me for the life I was born with.
I dream. I dream big. Not only for myself. but for my country & the coffee industry. How is it possible that I have the mental capacity to do so? It’s only because I was blessed enough to have completed my hierarchy of needs from how I was raised & those who raised me. Those being physiological, safety, love, and self actualization. I have all satisfied, that I seek to provide and make an impact on someone else’s life.
It shouldn’t make me less of a person for having the resources. It shouldn’t make me less of an achiever for choosing a rough path despite having “back up”. I chose to live this way for self growth. How else can I make the most of what I have if I don’t know what it’s like to be lacking of it. No to entitlement. Please don’t discredit me for how hard I try, just because my family is well of. I am grateful for all opportunities that came with it, but it only becomes more if I recognize it.
Maybe we can meditate on the good parts of our life & make the most out of it. I don’t want to only be the receiving end of benefits, but also the creator of my own. Self fulfillment comes in different forms, and this one’s mine. Stop comparing yourself to others & playing victim. :P Just saying.
Running is my reason for everything.
Ever wondered how I learned to live “this” outlook in life. This meaning just doing-risk taking-enjoying kind of thinking?… My partner always admired how I think, as I stay on my lane and I know what I want. I am not perfect in what I do, but I just love it so much that doing good is always the goal in whatever aspect of my profession. Strange as it may be, but the practice of thinking this way started when I was 17. My dad got me into walking, then running. Running became so enjoyable that we eventually joined races. Obsessed is the word. We got into full marathons and ultramarathons. I’ve done 21 all together + 20 something half marathons. It’s not only a medal we earn. It’s one intangible reward. A stronger mindset every after race. And so, I blame it all on running.
Amazed that whatever time it takes, I eventually do what my vision was? Running. It takes patience, you’ll eventually get there.
Amazed that what I earn through my coffee business/ customer count is not enough, yet I’m happy? Running. I showed up. It’s what matters in most days.
Amazed that despite how many people can finish at a better time, it doesn’t bother me? Who cares. The only person we should compete with is ourselves. We go by our own pace & it should be trusted.
Amazed that I am not afraid to do something new? Who says I’m not afraid. I always am. But I still take on the task because of running. Wanting a new challenge after every other race.
Amazed that I smile despite not getting to my goals quick? Running. I believe that we must enjoy the view, and cherish those we meet along the process.
Among so many things I develop in life, many times I alter the way that I think so that I remain on my feet & keep going, the answer is that running taught me most of what made this my character & mindset in such challenging path to take for coffee. We all are in hurdles, and it’s what makes life more meaningful. What is there to live for when it’s easily attained? The biggest takeaway that running teaches is to always have gratitude. No matter how small it is. To see the beauty in the smallest things will make your whole path even more enjoyable, and an inspiring story to tell.
Are you interested to learn how to think this way? Start running,
Hospitality. It’s not for everybody.
I write this to assess the people that come through the market.
Currently, I serve in a Farmers Market that doesn’t have too much foot traffic yet. As I started, there were 3 vendors of each day. Fees are 80% lower than those markets around, and so I chose to start with this location so that I can play my operations by ear. Improvements were done slowly, and I wanted to pace myself when it comes to figuring things out.
The trade of a lower market cost, is that we promote for ourselves. It was an opportunity to learn that area too. I’ve promoted in many places, both physical & online.
Very interesting people go through the gates where the coffee sign’s at. Being near a grocery & hardware made sense with the idea of serving local. And so, with this, I did my best to attract the demographic that I wanted to serve.
Despite that, probably 2% of those I encounter are not very pleasing. It’s like they have a certain beverage in mind, and nothing can change that.
why I write this? Two people come up and asks for something I don’t have. When I tell more about the offerings, one mumbles “do you wanna go to Starbucks instead”?, like I wasn’t there. And follows up with “thank you, we’ll be back”, I said “ok, no problem :) “
It did piss me off because that was disrespectful.
But you know what… I don’t have to serve them & be too kind. I can choose who I can cater to now, by showing what I have. It’s take it or leave it. I should be okay with that.
After that encounter, a customer who came in the same morning came back for his second drink. I was very pleased with his kindness & he deserved the service I offered.
That being said, quality comes with service. Not everyone leans towards quality & so hospitality is not for everybody :)
* more smiley faces, and walks away *
Courage from a cold shower
* types after taking a cold shower *
No hesitations. No waiting. Just go.
In one of the podcasts I was listening to in finance, one of the steps to get better in figuring this out was to learn how to just dive right into a cold shower. There was more steps than that but this one stuck to me. I am currently struggling with proper finances, and being smart about learning the system and so I find resources this way. However, ever since I applied this action in my morning and evening routine, a cold shower taught me more than I thought it would, when it comes to doing things for my business.
Thus, I was able to set up my coffee cart in different parts of Hilo, for the photos & promotion purposes that I am mobile and I am able to serve on the east side of Hawai’i island. As easy as this sounds, it wasn’t. In many things I have not done in my life, this was one that I had to figure out. I needed the courage to set up all equipment in places with too many strangers, in scorching heat, and an area with higher chances of rain.
and in this world of uncertainty, we learn to be optimistic. Everything fits my Hyundai turtle car.
1st Photo: Jan 1 Liliuokalani Garden - so much people, yet I sparked up curiosity
2nd Photo: Jan 3 (am) Volcano - droplets of rain were coming, so I set up & broke down with an intense speed I didn’t realize I was capable of
3rd Photo: Jan 3 (pm) near 4 miles - extremely hot & cars passing by, good lighting & sparked up curiosity as well
… and after I took the photos I needed, more ideas came rushing in on how I can make the most out of these the next time around. I learned the “How” and now I am not afraid. The Power of a Cold shower is greater than just doing it. It holds the power of doing it again and again. By developing that habit, I learned the How’s of building up courage.
Living in Isolation
I have never felt so alone again. I currently live by myself in a three bedroom home. I rent a room. 2 months since I decided to quit my day job, and being self employed limits the usual socialization that a person has. I move by myself, and for myself.
I have goals and a vision that only I can see. Honestly, it’s tough. The quietness becomes noisy, but I also choose to keep myself away from distraction or conversations that don’t benefit my future,
My partner too is not around. My boyfriend. The one who understood me at one point, couldn't. My family in Texas understands that I thrive when I go unbothered by doubts towards my goals, and so they never question my moves anymore.
It truly sinks in that this is what we can sometimes get for our persistency, discipline and drive. When the right people come, they stay. However, we will never force ourselves upon anything that can hinder us from achieving those ideals bigger than ourselves. Suckishly, no one will understand it till you earn billions of dollars. But to get there, I ask myself. How do I numb my heart from temporarily living in isolation?
Kilometer Zero
1 month & a half in since I decided to start my dream… Pour Over The Rainbow. The logistics of my life is quite weird. I only do the coffee cart 2 times a week. No, I do not have savings. Why? I do spend a lot. Moved a lot, took every form of education in coffee and didn’t care how much it cost, and also got into Aloha wear. The lifestyle I live is as simple as it gets…. despite the clothes costing so much 😆
Now where did the aloha wear obsession come from? It’s a long story but to sum it up, I met a lady in Oahu from Facebook who sold so much of this brand for a cheaper price to me. I had SO much that I had to make a reselling page on Instagram. We became lifelong friends. I love her.
Learned the ropes of bidding and bin (buy it now), shipping, making promotions, making connections with people who can sell pieces to me, and eventually build up an audience. Closet in Hawai’i started as a side hustle. Believe it or not, I made more money in that compared to the ramen job I had when I moved back to Big island. Since that worked out, I had the time to work on the coffee cart, while the thrifting page supported my life.
If I have sold enough clothes, I have the space to work on the coffee cart. I take my coffee dream to a whole other level like it’s my baby. She is my dream and I have to take care of it and those who support it. So I am in charge of the time I make for it.
This is the logistics of life. Buying clothes is not only by being in physical stores but also finding items online. Opportunity is on screen and off of it.
The only rest I take is when I eat.
Not being surrounded by the usual routine had me stand still when I took this vacation in Texas. Having time to think, create ideas and find inspiration and be grateful for the life I live. Taking it slow and having the time to converse with the people around me gave resting the perfect time to recalibrate and to acknowledge how far we’ve gone. Texas is where I started and it is my Kilometer Zero. The best part about going back is that I remember what I wished for when I was in Texas. It’s everything I’m working on in Hawai’i.
Starting Ugly
Same concept I had as I was growing up. Kept failing my grades and when I started doing “ok”, it becomes a huge accomplishment, and when I’ve done beyond “ok”, it blew people’s minds to know that I am capable of exceeding their expectations hahaha
So back to my coffee life, I started a cart. No nice logo, no lids, no cream, almost nothing. Too basic!
I just resigned from my day job because I want to continuously improve my dream. It’s finally happening... But before I look too legit, everything is sort of a makeshift, just to have something. Slowly, I’ll simply learn what I actually need, and it’s just part of the process.
I’ll never be ready until I start ugly…. Everyday is part of the progress I’ll make in the next decade. Getting there!
Today, I am scared.
I am about to start my cart in 2 days. I’ve just finished my experiment, done my costing, made a big purchase order for cups, bought accessories for the cart and my heart is pounding like crazy,
I am by myself here in Hilo and I feel like, I just wish I had someone by my side doing this with me because I’m just about to accomplish one of my dreams in my life, and I just don’t want to mess it up.
it’s a feeling I cannot quite understand but all good things happen when I take risks. It should be worth it if it’s scaring me like this. Asking for strength.
Powerful intentions create dangerous personalities.
Always had this odd feeling lingering around me, when I decide to speak up.
Working in coffee and in anywhere else!
Why I say this? I currently work in a line cook job since I moved from Oahu to Hilo. I didn’t want to work for anyone in coffee, but I needed to find a way to sustain myself as I figure out my next path. The intention was to start my business. Lol it was more complex than I thought. I’m currently dealing with the part time hours of work as a line cook,
Some of you may not know, but I did graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, majored in Culinary, and gained credible background when I did an internship in a 5 star resort. Thing was that it has been 3 years ago. Not AS much of a previous experience that other high class restaurants want, but more than qualified for a ramen shop. Not bashing this casual dining place, but this is basic compared to where I have worked.
Despite my change of settings, the discipline instilled from my resort experience will forever remain in my work ethics. That’s just something I have embedded within me, as it made me mentally stronger. My logic has very much improved throughout my previous profession even as a farmer.
I did gain all that. It made me confident with the way I move and what I think is right. Removing all biases, I lean towards the good of what my trained conscience says.
For some people, it’s an impressive thing, For some people, it’s a threat. What’s funny is when people underestimate my capabilities. Somewhere along the scenario of me being bothered, I speak up, and then I end up violating the ego of a “higher up”.
isn’t it odd? I just want to do my job. What’s your problem? I almost laugh in scenarios where it just feels like people are threatened by me. No I’m not hallucinating. I have witnesses thinking this too.
ANYWAYS, going back to coffee, I feel this a lot. Ever since I’ve done farm work, it changed such a different perspective on what I say about coffee. When something doesn’t sound right, my conscience can’t take it, I speak up. It doesn’t sound pleasing for a consumer’s perspective but who are we to judge their level of understanding. Also, one instance too is I’m young and my experience are beyond others, some people I feel like, can either be proud or be threatened. When my opinions are brought up, it’s always for the sake of “good” and the coffee industry. Some people just have biases, but when my intention leans towards the good for the coffee industry, it creates a different idea of one’s approach in actions and words.
Just like my other blog, I’d like to let you know that I can go unbothered if I want to, People will hate me but it’s ok :)
Think about Money
This is not my default brain. This is the part where I’m training myself to do so.
Before you tell me that I’m one privileged kid growing up, I’d want to stop you right there. Cause you may actually be right, but also wrong in some ways.
I grew up having everything I needed. Sometimes, more. I would say I’m fortunate to have the basics + some, and that’s why it has never felt like a problem for me. I always had this thinking that money will always be there, no matter what. If you love something, you can find a way to make profit out of it. I believe that this idea works best when you have no choice and you live by yourself and there’s no other person accountable for your actions.
I was into the hobby of buying and selling my clothes, and realizing I can make profit out of it. It became a side hustle a month after. Now I feel like it has gotten more serious and I hunt for items, I learned that I have to calculate every move I make. Gas, time, wear and tear of car, everything!
Now I feel like every move I make is dependent on what I earn. Not by the hour but by my efforts, strategy and efficiency. Is that how a business owner moves? If so, I’m up for it. Gets waaay more rewarding than the hourly compensation, as on most times, I overdeliver. For who’s sake? Definitely not me 😂 but the owner of a company.
I feel that once I actually think more about money, it will result to a more sustainable living, as I get into the business of coffee. And hey, it’s part of that plan :)
Think like an owner, Empathize with a worker.
I am different. My mind works differently. I am very much aware of that.
I have come from a background of a family who are business owners. Successful people. Yet, as I grew up, I’ve always mingled very well with my family’s employees. They were really great friends and in some occurrences, treated me like family. I lived both worlds of being with owner and worker. With that realization , I see now why it makes more sense! Why I struggle, with the perspective I have, even at my current job.
I worked as a farmer, so I knew what was difficult and how to explain the process, and challenges better
I applied as Production in a Roastery (but mostly 93% working barista) and well…. I have brought myself to work every part of the chain, to understand what it’s like to be a worker, to know the challenges of being present in the actual job, and to understand what system works efficiently. Mind you, I’m not the kind of person who tries to get through my hours, just to call it a day. So in my mind, I plan my system of fulfilling bags of coffee, in the fastest way, or at the bar how to systematically serve and sling shots. (of course the job is more than that lol) . I, in my heart know, that I strategize with the purest intention of doing things in the easiest, fastest and most honest manner.
At the same time, I look through what matters in the greater scale of a business owner. Knowing “Why” things are done in a certain way, what morals do we stand for? and of course the reasoning of money is kept in mind as lives are needed to be sustained.
More at the same time, prior to working in coffee, I was a consumer. I was the receiving end of the product, I was the one asking for my coffee, asking questions, I was on the receiving end of that information. I had my assumptions on what’s good or what’s bad.
That’s why I learned of a greater understanding on how to speak in a manner that is truthful to the guest, and most empathetic to the parts of the coffee chain.
Anyways, my point is, not everyone will understand my “Why”s. I don’t just follow just because I am an employee. No. That doesn't work in my book. I am a servant of the people of the coffee industry. They are those who keep the industry alive and we need them to keep it a safe working space for them. They are the cheerleaders for the working force of this world! A cup of coffee is what keeps most of the world going. Remember, at least one cup of coffee is part of a routine for a billion people. As the cheerleaders of this world, my goal is to at least keep a system that will sustain those who are part of it.
I know the coffee chain is alot of its parts. Some are experts in 1, hold good knowledge in 2, are understanding of 3, and most empathetic of 4. I am on the latter. And if only that was appreciated for who I am, and why I stand for what I do,. If only it was valued, I believe there are greater things accomplished having me as a sidekick (partner/friend/trusted person/consultant/bff ha! whatever)
But until that perspective is valued, I guess it’s best to shut up and show how it’s done. As I also start my own, maybe it gives me more credibility to speak, having that experience. Sigh it’ll be hard, but I have to try.
Damn, I can’t wait to be successful.
I think about my goals all the time. ALL, the freakIN tImE. It’s killing me sometimes.
Questions go from how can I progress? What next step should I take? If I have this opportunity, how can I maximize it? How do I use my resources efficiently? Is this equipment a good investment for my future?
That’s only the tip of the iceberg of questions.
From the time I chose my college degree, to choosing coffee, to choosing farming, the closest people I love filled me in with doubts. Especially the grandparents I look up to. I understand the fear because it took them a struggle to be who they are now. Now that I feel the struggle, maybe I should be grateful that it is what I’m going through, and that’s my life’s path as of the moment. I know it will be rewarding one day, just like how they did it.
I just could’t wait.
To the people who’s been teaching me anything, your efforts will go a long way. Thank you for being patient with a learner like me.
For the meantime, I will keep that vision. I know I will get there.
Our Palates are Spoiled!
In the roastery I work at, there’s an abundance of coffees we have/want to taste. Either it’s for keeping the roasting consistent, choosing samples for shipment, identifying the monthly offering, and quite a few from guests who want to share the coffee they receive with us.
Needless to say, we focus on producing good coffee, and learning from it. All the floral, fruity, savory, sweet, complex, citrusy, lively, spice & the whole percentage of “chocolatey” is what we usually try to figure out in a cup. These attributes are basically half of SCA flavor wheel.
Now I ask, what about the other half of it, where does the chemical, musty, wood, vegetative or sour come from? These are attributes that are deemed to be unpleasant. I would never voluntarily spend my money on this kind of coffee, but if an opportunity comes up, heck yea, let me cup that old shack-papery-flat-woody scented/flavored coffee!!
Boy let me tell you, that my excitement raised eyebrows when I just decided to cup commodity coffee that was a feet away from being inside the garbage. It felt like I was doing a very bad thing, which would be funny in a third person perspective!
I just had my reasons. I just had to. My conscience told me so. My idea is that I wanted to put myself back in recalibrating my ideas of “good” & “pleasant”. I drink so much of specialty coffee, that standards are raised. That is a great thing on one end but also, I cannot forget that there’s the other side of the industry that doesn’t bother to be in par with the quality of specialty coffee. How will I appreciate the “good”, if I lose my exposure to “bad”.
I’m glad I did that. On top of this realization, I wonder how grades in Cup of Excellence all over the world will turn out, if we have all attributes of bad commodity coffee in one cupping bowl, designed to be in the center. It’s a wild idea but I wonder. Damn, our palates have been spoiled. Recalibrate.
Empathizing with the middle.
Fate lead me to a roaster, named Brian.
<- This is him
Backstory: How I got here:
I’ve met Brian and Lindsey when we shared a table in the Hawaii Coffee Association conference in the big island. UCC was a sponsor of the event, but I showed up as a self-sponsored independent. We simply found ourselves introducing about each other’s background, and I learned that Brian and Lindsey started a roastery/cafe in Oahu that would love to focus on education. Along a brief conversation, I asked if they would accept Roasting apprenticeship. Brian said “We can work on something like that” (with a sly smile). oh and Brian, hi. if you’re reading this. Your face gave me that high possibility that you’re my next step. Haha
One thing lead to another. We kept in contact via instagram. Throughout my time in the farm, or the Fermentation Camp in Colombia, we’d have a call or a conversation. We had a talk about an invite to their roastery during the Brewer’s Cup preliminary, finally met them again, and decided that this is where I’ll have to be for my next chapter.
… and so I moved to Oahu in the beginning of January to work with Tradition Coffee Roasters, and picking season in the farm is done on that time.
To tell you the truth, I felt different having to be in conversation with guests when it comes to coffee. It was a different feeling, discussing about farming, and processing with the team. I have an initial stand in mind when words are spoken, because of what I’ve experienced before getting here. I was more cautious about giving an opinion. I stood a ground, empathizing so much with the producers and the work they do.
It would irk me to hear about naturals, honey, anaerobic fermentation, terroir, wine references and many more. It’s a conclusion of the thought process in my head because of podcasts I listen to, conversations, and things I experienced in the farm.
However, in the case of the farm, the work has stuck to me the most, because I’ve done a full 365 days of thinking and doing while having that one year experience.
I realized, I kept much of myself in the shoes of my farm manager, Maria. Maybe too much.
Rather than getting excited of an unusual coffee process, skepticism became my initial response. My past kept me in the place of loving simple and clean.
While that’s okay in many cases, I realized many things while having a conversation with Brian while really understanding where my frustration is coming from.
Not all farmers have the same case as I did. My resources, the climate, the variety, was simply different with everywhere else in the world, and so I realize that the approach for every coffee farm, variety, process is always different while considering the factors that may vary, and the only absolute way of having a judgement if it’s a direct partnership. Importers are responsible for sourcing their product that fits the standard that the roaster would want to trust.
Do I really understand the processing terms or is it a feeling that’s attached to it when brought up in conversations? Made me rethink that coffee vocabulary.
The excitement for exploring coffee in its range of flavors shall be kept alive! Before I actually dig deep into its source, the enthusiasm of doing it good must be kept as a default approach. Excitement before skepticism. Why? Well, this is why I fell in love with coffee in the first place. It was the sparkle in my eyes that brought me to where I am. It still has to be that same feeling that should get me even further.
Oh and the last one is, I am in the area where I am in an encounter with a roaster himself that buys coffee. I have to understand the perspective Brian’s coming from, of buying green, and roasting for guests to enjoy. He is in the absolute middle of doing what’s right, and serving it right. If it’s something he is, it’s that he does his best to hear both sides which brings me back to one of my important goals. To empathize with every factor of the industry. And now, the opportunity of working in production, education and mostly this roasting apprenticeship should bring me to open my mind once again and to make sure that I empathize with Brian.
It’s this year when I should and I could empathize with the middle, and so it shall be done
Off the clock days & hours, 22 Kona
I recently just launched my product, 22Kona. All photos taken before I head to work in the farm at 6 am, after work at 3:00 pm on weekdays, during my days off, and the time I went to Colombia to learn about coffee processing.
This is the result of deciding to move in the Big Island of Hawaii, and spending my income on workshops and equipment, to have a deeper understanding of the back side of coffee.
No, this isn’t graded. No, this isn’t mechanically sorted. No, this isn’t certified.
However, from the time this has been picked, processed, dried, milled, and sorted, I have handled this coffee with the most meticulous standards that I, or my eyes and conscience can manually do.
3 experiments of submerged/wet, dry and citric (pineapple & I’m not entirely sure if the amount of acid was a good substitute for it)
Finally found the BEST coffee!
It exists, people! The best coffee I’ve ever in my life had, after all coffee subscriptions, and specialty coffee tastings, and countless of bags from different cafes is…
*drumroll*
……… from UCC Hawaii’s Estate Grown coffee. Yup! You read it. Me, out of all people, speaks about “Best” and being so biased about loving the coffee, from where I work at.
If some of you have read from my previous blog, Is there a place for BEST, you can be curious as to how I arrived with a topic like this.
I always raise my eyebrows on this subject, but I had to review my statement, having to work in the same farm for more than a year now.
Maria brought me to understand a different perspective. Every time she drinks a cup of coffee she brews, or whenever we drink the pot of estate grown coffee, she’d always say “Mmm! Sabroso mi cafe”, meaning “My coffee is delicious!” or “This is the good coffee”. I smile with her statements, but she’d always follow it up with saying “of course, it’s our coffee” and laugh. 😆
I could not quickly agree with this in the past because “Best” is in preference, but after having to work with UCC Hawaii for more than a year now, I finally understood.
I can say it’s the Best because it’s a product of our hard work. It’s a product of the effort we exert to take the rocks off the trenches, keep our plant nursery healthy, control the pest by spraying with a 28lb backpack while walking the rocky areas and coffee rows (oh and sometimes slipping but quickly getting up because a coworker might laugh), meticulously reminding and teaching our pickers to pick red, and many other backbreaking and mind challenging ways to keep our coffee plantation producing good quality coffee. It’s one crop with a great amount of work! Especially during this year, where we are extremely short handed, it takes so much!
I am proud to say that our coffee is the best because in everything we do, we pour our heart and minds on doing our best. You can say I’m biased and all, but ask me about our coffee, and I can guarantee you that I can speak about our crop and work in detail. Mmmmm! I love our coffee!
I don’t really hate Starbucks.
Just because I work in specialty coffee means that I am very against this company. Sometimes, it’s more than just the coffee.
I grew up getting excited when me and my family would grab a Frappuccino. Home was about an hour drive from the city to the province. Our stopover had one shop, and we’d sometimes stay to hang out, talk story and just be cozy.
I loved the experience of being greeted by a barista, and feeling the warmth that Starbucks has in their cafe. On some days, I’ve wondered “Hmmm…. What if I was a barista?”. However, this thought is immediately followed by the idea that I cannot sustain a lifestyle I want by being so. Being a barista is simply a profession I cannot pursue. But well… until I learned about specialty coffee.
But before then, I loved being in Starbucks because of the hospitality!
Working and learning the existence of specialty coffee had me want to ignore Starbucks. Starbucks isn’t one that takes lead into good growth for coffee, when it comes to valuing the actual product. It’s so big, that it obviously doesn’t source coffee for quality, but quantity. Machines are automated. It’s so fast paced that it values speed, more than output. Sizes. Changing terms of using ounces that could’ve been more universal and helpful for other cafes. Oh and most importantly, drinks? It’s more milk and artificial flavor based rather than the coffee. Coffee becomes more like a caffeine supplier and crave satisfier to majority of drinks in the menu.
But sometimes, even with all of these in mind, I come to think. Is it really a bad thing? How do these qualities of Starbucks directly affect the industry of specialty coffee?
Well… come to think of it, that’s what lessens the stress to specialty coffee shops or owners. There’s some filter to the consumers we serve. This is also one reason why we can distinguish commodity from specialty. We are of a different industry.
Starbucks is a different entity. If they cannot fit into the idea of specialty coffee’s standards, they create a standard of their own. I don’t necessarily mean that this is a good thing, nor it is a bad thing. But ya see, the point is, I just can’t be too mean with the frappucinno drinkers because I’d be a hypocrite to say so. I love my Java chip frap! To simply put it this way, I don’t really hate Starbucks because they’re not really coffee.
This blog will be in conflict because my brain is arguing. A topic about Starbucks brings that in me.
The Cost of Discipline, Persistence and Drive
When your time is ticking, that's when thoughts rush in.
I have less than 1 1/2 months to be in the farm. If some of you have been following my blogs, it is quite an understatement to say that I enjoy working in the farming/processing side of coffee.
Prior to deciding to work as a coffee farmer, my main priority was to understand the value of the labor done, and to credibly speak about this side of the industry to consumers. I knew that when my time's up, I have to head to roasting.
1 year and 1 month later, and the in-betweens of the year, I realize that a huge portion of my heart goes to coffee producers. Somehow, I find home, purpose, freedom, and a child like joy of being one myself.
and yet, I have to leave. I think that's where my mind and heart finds that conflict of loving where I'm at, and still sticking through that decision of moving onto the next step.
There is no instruction manual on how to chase my dream. I simply stand by what my conscience tells me what to do.
I love the big island. I really, truly, do. It's a triathlete's dream to be here. Coffee trees are here! My eyes sparkle with a drive to work. My farm mentor feeds me good food, and has answers to unending questions I have. My partner/bestfriend is here. I just love where I'm at.
but ya see, that's the cost of being disciplined, persistent and being driven. It's to temporarily let this joy go. I know with what I'm trying to learn, I'll represent the people of the coffee industry better. Finding purpose, greater than myself makes it all more reasonable.
Yea Danni, so suck it up and don't be a cry baby.
Get yourself situated already.
