Whenever you visit a traditional home in Coorg, the first thing you are likely to notice as you step inside the gates is a Woody fragrance. This generally emanates from the courtyard that has lent Itself to the drying of coffee beans over the years.
Coffee is deeply embedded in the lives of people from this region.
Almost like an R K Narayan novel, everyone is somehow or the other linked to the growing of coffee. Neighbours, classmates, school teachers, vegetable vendors – would all invariably have worked at or owned a coffee estate or a related service.
Coffee almost forms the fabric of this region. When we took on a coffee plantation to set up the first Beforest Collective, we essentially enrolled to be a part of this fabric.
And there was no better time to soak in the culture and traditions, than join hands during the harvest season. Poomaale is currently harvesting coffee of the season. Each day, everyone works all-hands-on-deck in some capacity or the other.
The pure joy and peace that comes from sharing laborious work, some jokes and a simple meal is indescribable. Even those of us on Team Beforest, who work from a desk, make it a point to spend at least a few days during harvest season at Poomaale.
We are often rewarded with old stories and songs around the campfire and a hearty night’s sleep is guaranteed.
Coffee is harvested in 2 blocks each year – sometime between January and March and again between October and December. If you find that you can get away from the city during these seasons, do make it a point to visit Poomaale and share this wonderful time with us.
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