Coffee and Tamales!

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 It is coffee season here in Jinotega! The city streets have filled with people who work in the coffee industry again. The season lasts from November through January, but December is peak time. Coffee is one of the top exports, so the industry employs a lot of people here in the mountains. 

In the past year I have learned so much about coffee and its economy living here, and have learned to appreciate the sweet smelling, brown drink that is in my cup every morning. From planting coffee seedlings on steep mountain sides to roasting 50 pound sacks of beans, there is a lot of hard work being done. Jari and I are spoiled by great cups of coffee everywhere we go! I never thought I would write a sentence like that, I didn't even drink coffee while I lived in the USA. It was too bitter and didn't taste good at all! However, Nicaraguan coffee is smooth and sweet! 

Coffee Plants at our favorite farm

On the farm we frequently visit, we have been able to see the changes in plants, cutting old ones down and planting young ones. Groups of pickers carrying 50lbs sacks down the mountain side on their shoulders. This is hard work, where strong backs and legs are needed to bring the coffee cherries to processing. These farms are all very beautiful places to visit and go for hike. Some of these farms have been Rainforest Alliance certified. The farm in these pictures also has a vocational school for children in the communities on the farms. 

Hiking through the 500 hectares farm

About a mile from our house are the coffee buyers and roasters. Driving down this road in December brings your nose smells of roasting coffee every where you drive. And sometimes a nose full of diesel smoke from the trucks picking up the sacks of dried beans. These trucks bring them to larger international buyers. So take deep breathes before the trucks come your way! We have found a great coffee roaster we buy from all year round, but this December brings us the best and freshest coffee roasts!  
Hot beans roasted to medium goodness!

Living in Jinotega has brought us a new Christmas tradition, buying freshly roasted coffee! We will be enjoying this coffee along with the tamales that are made by our neighbors, and finally for this year, my own tamales! I finally was able to locate all the ingredients I need to make tamales the way my grandma showed me! 

Have some coffee and tamales with us this Christmas! Merry Christmas!
Location: Jinotega, Nicaragua

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