
Explore global coffee growing regions, from the Americas with volcanic soils and steep highlands to East Africa's Rift Valley and Southern Pacific areas.
Explore terroir as soil conditions and nutrients that shape coffee flavor, root depth in Typica and Geisha, and the influence of volcanic history, mulch, and soil microbes on Panama farms.
Cultivation practices and cultural traditions shape terroir, influencing how coffee is grown, irrigated, and processed across climates, from rainfall constraints to natural sun-dried methods.
Explore the botany of coffee from seed to tree, starting with the coffee cherry and its two seeds, maintaining at least 20 percent moisture, and germinating into a seedling.
Explore temperature ranges around coffee farms; exceeding 73°F (21°C) speeds cherry maturation and lowers cup quality, while below 18°C risks tree stress and dormancy, with climate change threatening sustainable production.
Discover how microclimates create unique coffee signatures across regions from Ethiopia's East Harrar to Panama's valley, and why farmers monitor climate change with weather stations.
Assess how farm topography affects coffee quality, including sun exposure; north is probably not ideal, while south, east, or southwest exposure aids growth, and winds influence terroir.
Assess cherry ripeness by color, softness, and taste to optimize harvest timing amid labor limits and weather, noting some varieties ripen yellow or orange and sugars peak for flavor.
Examine how arabica coffee prices in the ICC futures market diverge from supply and demand, and how contracts and hedge funds affect Honduran farmers, underscoring the need for sustainable rewards.
Geography and Terroir of Coffee
In this unit we explore where coffee is grown and what are the suitable climate, soil, elevation and temperature conditions to grow coffee. You will gain a basic understanding of Coffea arabica varieties, and survey the main regions where Arabica coffee is grown.
Botany of Coffee
Dive deeper into the world of the coffee plant. Willem Boot will explain the path of the seed to a coffee plant, flower and finally the coffee cherry. In this unit we go deeper into differentiating coffee varieties and their specific properties when it comes to the quality of your coffee.
Cultivation Practices and Harvest
What are the main considerations a farmer makes when growing coffee? Which plot will produce healthy coffee plants? Which variety of coffee to grow? Organic vs conventional farming? Shade or no shade? Which harvesting method to use? Willem Boot will guide you through these core questions every farmer has to answer when it comes to creating high quality coffee at the farm and supporting their family.
Processing Methods
After coffee is harvested, it needs to be processed. The processing style is one of the main determinants when it comes to the quality and flavor profile of your coffee. What are these processes and how do they influence your cup? Find out all about it in this segment.
Coffee Consumption and Economics
There are 25 million coffee farmers in the world who make decisions every day about how to sustain their farms and feed their families. Willem takes you through the choices farmers make and how they can influence their livelihood, and also the quality of your coffee.
Looking Into the Future of Coffee
What are the main challenges and opportunities for today's coffee farmers? Climate change, increased demand in previously non-coffee drinking nations, and the economic sustainability of farming are the main ones we address in this segment.