Greetings from Mykanos.
As the cosecha winds down, Christmas has climaxed and the year-end is almost upon us, Adriano is getting ready for everything that entails.
The season proper started on December 7thth with the day of the little candles, celebrating the definition of the Immaculate Conception as dogma by Pope Pius IX in 1854. Everyone in Colombia lights candles positioned on doorsteps, windowsills, fences, railings, in parks, on paths, anywhere there is a flat surface. It is not only celebrated in Colombia, but we certainly do it far more than anyone else in the world.
Concepción is a popular name for girls here. One of our chief contacts at the Co-Op is called Concepción, the abbreviation of which is Conchita. It always amuses me that Thomas Neuwirth, the drag queen who won the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest for Austria, performs under the name Conchita Wurst (Conception Sausage).
This Christmas we have much to be thankful for. The coffee price is up from before and so is the amount of coffee we are producing, and actually being in control of what gets picked, processed and sold means we are doing much better financially. The disastrous state we inherited from our previous administrator is being rectified continuously and it’s not just light we can now see at the end of the tunnel, but we are starting to discern the halcyon pastures beyond.
That does not mean however that challenges are few and far between. Take managing the Co-Op (the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia) for example.
Whenever we take dried, processed beans to the Co-Op to sell, whether 500 kilos or 5000 kilos, a sample is taken from every bag and the beans are assessed on humidity, flaws, size, pest damage etc. and given a score which determines the price the Co-Op will pay for it, up to and including that day’s international commodity price. If they are particularly good they go upstairs to be roasted and cupped, and if they get the expert’s approval, will go to Nespresso, for which we receive a premium on top of the commodity price.
All well and good one might think, until it became apparent that when the amount we took to the Co-Op was large, the rating, and resultant price, would often be lower. A coincidence surely. On one such occasion Adriano had our coffee taken away again, split into two smaller lots, and then took the lots back on different days. The lots, which had previously been downgraded when part of the big shipment, were deemed good enough for Nespresso. Curious.
Adriano monitored every prospective sale and quality assessment minutely, often getting a second opinion from a private coffee buyer with whom we sometimes do business. The private buyer’s assessment was much more painstaking as he didn’t have the imprimatur of the Co-Op behind him, and if he rated our beans higher, and the Co-Op couldn’t (or wouldn’t) reassess their opinion, we sold the coffee to him.
Adriano made sure the manager of the Co-Op knew exactly what we were doing and why, often in front of fellow coffee growers similarly affected. The inconsistency had only two possible causes: one was that the Co-Op was totally inept, which didn’t engender confidence in one of the world’s leading coffee specialists, created to protect the interests of us coffee growers; or that it, or elements within it, were venal, paying the farmers who grew the coffee less than it was worth and profiting from the difference to their own benefit.
I am pleased to report that their behaviour is improving in the face of Adriano’s criticism, and we have seen some personnel changes. This is not just a response to Adriano’s forceful personality however, or the result of some self-reflection on possible shortcomings, but recognition that they need our coffee. The manager tells us that we are the biggest supplier to our local Co-Op, and we know that they have contracts to fill. Muscle matters.
And so does being connected.
These days there is a WhatsApp group of local cafeteros, where weather, coffee prices, helpful advice, technical queries, useful contacts and news of dodgy practices and people are exchanged, answered and discussed. This means we can all benefit from an individual grower’s successes no matter what size the producer, or the amount of pressure they can apply. Usefully, the manager of our Co-Op is also part of this group, so compliments and complaints are communicated clearly and candidly.
Someone else who made quite an impression at the Co-Op, and indeed in town in general, was our friend Thomas, whose long-term partner, and our long-term friend, pop star Gregory Gray died last April. You might remember Gregory from a previous Letter. Thomas embarked on his first trip to Latin America, starting in Argentina/Brazil to see Iguazú Falls, before meeting up with me in Bogotá. I then sent him off to Cartagena, from whence he came here to Mykanos for a week before going on to Miami Florida. We had ample time to reminisce about Gregory and to toast both his memory and his onward journey.
Thomas was a delightful guest, interested in everything, learning about growing and dealing with coffee, and experiencing the rather unpredictable Latino lifestyle. He really was interested in the coffee growing side as, quite apart from being a huge coffee fan, Thomas is a former wheat farmer in England, and long-term consultant on, and provider of, agricultural supplies.
He also sports a magnificent white beard, which was much admired, so we told everyone he met that, apart from being a farmer, in December he had a rather special job … Papa Noel or Father Christmas. All were delighted at the idea, and knew it wasn’t true, but the girls at the Co-Op were hinting that a nice present would be appropriate as they had all been good during the year.
It is a pity that he had to leave us mid-December as, dressed in a red suit, he could have been the star of the party we put on for our workers on Christmas Eve. Instead Adriano … chef, caterer, designer, organiser, administrator, director, waiter, animator and Patron … deserved the accolade.
Preparations started two days before, with the slaughtering and butchering of one of our pigs, and the wrapping of anchettas, the goodie bags that went to each worker and his or her family. We made about 70 of them. Adriano butchered the pig himself, as he believes the chef knows what he wants in terms of cuts and the local butchers just don’t think the way he does. He had no desire to slaughter the pig and was quite sentimental about its demise, but at least we knew he had lived a good life, suffered a good death, and would end up as a good banquet.
There were about 90 at the party and we served them grilled morcilla (boudin noir / black pudding) with pan fried plantain, followed by marinated pork barbecued and served with papas salteadas (salted boiled potatoes), and finished off with natilla (traditional maize based Christmas sweet) with buñuelos (fried dough balls) for dessert. Everyone had seconds and quite a few had thirds. Adriano was adamant … keep offering them food until they are full. Moreover, not only was Adriano doing the cooking he was also personally serving everyone, taking food to their chairs, helped by one of our Venezuelans. We had another Venezuelan being DJ, and another distributing drinks.
Once all were full it was time for the dance competition. Adriano did the rounds, talking to everybody, finding out who would like to take part and putting couples together if they had no obvious dance partner. We started with 12 couples, which was reduced to six, then to three finalists. They danced en masse, and then each couple did solos for each new rhythm: salsa, cumbia, merengue, vallenato, pasodoble, joropo and even tango. All were at home with the popular rhythms such as salsa and cumbia, but many found the more exotic beats a real challenge.
What I, as one of the judges, found fascinating was that very few of the contestants, including the eventual winners, had ever danced together before. They are Colombians. They learn to dance before they can walk. They both know their complementary roles. Just put them together and press ‘play’. The magic inevitably follows.
I think it safe to say that the party was a success. Everyone had a great time, ate too much, laughed a lot, received their anchettas (presents) and set off in the early evening to continue their Christmas festivities or fulfil family obligations.
Adriano was satisfied. He wanted to let our workers know that we appreciated all their hard work and to give them something they would not get otherwise.
As for me, I am just grateful, as always, to be able to share in the magic.
Next stop 2020.
Love from him and me
Barry
