What Is a Coffee Plantation?
Coffee plantations are agricultural, commercial operations that cultivate coffee trees and harvest the beans to be sold for the production of coffee. Does this Spark an idea?
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Types
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Coffee plantations vary from smaller locally owned operations that are more like farms to large commercial industries that managed thousands of acres. According to the National Coffee Association of America, Brazil produces the most coffee of any country in the world; it is home to many of the largest plantations.
Climate
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Coffee plantations tend to be found tropical climates where there is rich soil. These conditions are found around the world, and are generally close to the Equator. For example, large plantations can be found in Mexico, Ethiopa and Hawaii.
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Harvest
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Coffee plantations grow coffee trees and harvest the fruit, called coffee cherries. In smaller operations, harvesting is done by hand, while large plantations may use machinery to harvest the fruit.
History
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Coffee is believed to have been first discovered and consumed in what is modern day Ethiopia. In the 17th century, during rise of colonialism, European countries established coffee plantations in many tropical and subtropical colonies.
Fun Fact
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Many factors affect the flavor of coffee as a final product. Weather, soil, sunshine, precise altitude and the way the cherries are harvested all impact flavor. The effects can be so subtle that even on the same plantation there is variation in quality and taste.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Klaus Post
