This is the third time we have been able to purchase coffee from the Minamihara family and their farm in the Alta Mogiana region of Brazil.

The first generation of Minamiharas arrived from Japan in the 1930’s, always intending to work with coffee. In 1973, the second generation of Minamiharas purchased the land that became their current farm, just outside the small town of Cristais Paulista in the far North-East of São Paulo state. It was here that they shaped their approach to agriculture, with the principles of biodynamics in mind. They have a holistic approach to soil health, using natural additions and composts in order to maintain a balance of minerals, fungi and bacteria, leading to rich and healthy soils, and plants that can easily pull nutrients from them. Although the plants here grow at a rather low altitude of about 900 masl, they are some of the healthiest we have seen on our travels in coffee.

This natural process Geisha has typically floral aromas, followed up by a deep sweetness more associated with Brazil. The stewed red fruit notes are also reminiscent of the finest Brazilian naturals, testament to some excellent farming of Geisha at a lower altitude than it is normally seen. The Minamihara’s soil health focussed approach suits Geisha well, imitating the nutritious and diverse soils of its native Ethiopia, as opposed to modern, chemically fertilised soil.