There is a side of Maui that is often unseen by most. The elevated land of Upcountry Kula, perched at 3,300 feet, is home to Maui Estate Coffee Co., the purveyors of the finest beans in Hawaii.
Photos by ashley camper | ceramics by seeds & stone
As kama'aina of Maui, Hawaii, the Andersen family is well-loved and regarded for their kind, generous spirits and widespread creative pursuits from metal work to music, hula and the arts. They can now add coffee farmers to their roster of talents. In 1989, Erik opted to plant coffee trees on an acre and a half of land at his family homestead instead of the far less labor intensive protea plants or avocado trees. "I thought it was a romantic idea...to farm coffee," he says. His wife Moana chimes in, "The true story is that he had just finished watching Out of Africa and his mind was made up. He was going to be a farmer and work the land."
After nearly twenty years of "working my day job and raising three great kids," Erik was ready to pour his energy into harvesting coffee beans. Turns out, Kula's high elevation paired with its rich volcanic soil and intermittent bursts of sunlight between thick cloud cover are ideal conditions to grow and harvest coffee. Erik now works the land day in and day out to produce two harvests a year resulting in 1,000 pounds of wonderfully rich and smooth coffee. Coffee cherries, unlike grapes, do not ripen at the same time on the same branch. To harvest only ripe cherries, Erik must comb through the trees at least three different times during the harvest season. It is a true labor of love and one worth sharing.
Phone
(808) 283.1775
aloha@mauiestatecoffee.com
LOCATION
maui, hawaii
say hello
We would love to hear from you (808) 283.1775 or send us a note: aloha@mauiestatecoffee.com