Kona coffee farmers are uniting to combat the crop devastating coffee berry borer or, CBB. Already at home in most of the world’s coffee plantations, the beetle officially made its first appearance in Kona last August. According to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture’s (HDOA) website, CBB has been confirmed in the drier …read more
Picking a coffee cherry before it becomes fully ripe results in less than optimal sugar levels; while the sugar levels of over ripe cherries have started to decline. Mechanical harvesting, known as stripping, saves time but adds unripe berries, over ripe berries, pest ridden berries, leaves, twigs, and other debris into the final product. …read more
Using shade as a farming technique has many ecological benefits. The shade helps to keep moisture in and weeds to a minimum. Soil erosion is minimized as is the loss of vital nutrients and the number of pollinators are increased. Birds make their home in the trees as well as bats, bees and other beneficial organisms. …read more
On September 2nd, the identification of CBB was confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture entomology laboratory in Riverdale, MD. Currently, the Coffee Berry Borer is only on the Westside of the Big Island at a handful of farms but the prolific pest can quickly take over. LBD Coffee, located in the mountains of Kauai, is safe from this crop devastating pest for now. …read more
