Hacienda Iluminada has dedicated several years to providing you with the most delicious and fresh single-origin coffee. We cultivate our coffee beans in the highest mountains of Maricao, Puerto Rico, specifically 3,000 feet above sea level. We always mention that our coffee comes directly from our farm to your cup. But have you ever wondered about how long it takes to grow that coffee or what kind of care it needs? In this Hacienda Iluminada's blog, we will guide you through the process of how our coffee grows, the time it takes, and how it reaches your cup.

The Lifecycle of Coffee

Growing coffee is an exciting process that requires a bit of extra love and care. Coffee is a delicate plant that needs lots of attention and patience to thrive. Soil fertility, climate, and location are very important that can affect the growth of coffee. If the soil is not rich enough, coffee plants may not grow as they should. What makes coffee cultivation so special? Let's go step by step!

The seed: At Hacienda Iluminada, everything started with a single seed and dream. But before we can start with the cultivation of this amazing plant we must analyze if the soil and the area is fertile enough. If so, then the coffee seeds, also known as coffee cherries, are carefully selected and planted. Now with patience we wait until a little plant comes out. But how long does it take? It lasts for about 3 to 4 years. During this time, the young plants undergo a period of growth and development, gradually maturing into robust coffee trees capable of bearing fruit.
Blossoming: After time passes, we can appreciate a small plant and then that small plant becomes a strong coffee tree. Who later grows beautiful white flowers out of it’s branches. This process it's an amazing way to see a coffee tree bloom after a long wait because each flower can become a precious coffee cherry!
Coffee Cherry: After time those white beautiful flowers give green coffee cherries which later will have an amazing red color, similar to cherries! And after this is where the magic happens! However, in order for cherries to be fully matured and ready to be hand picked, processed it usually takes 9 months
Harvesting Time: this is an exciting moment for everyone at the farm. Just imagine all of the time that we have been waiting! From the planting of the seed to the blooming of the flowers. Our amazing farmers get ready to delicately hand pick every cherry. Our farmers take several weeks for every cherry to be carefully picked. It can be a long process that requires dedication, but the reward of tasting the delicious fresh coffee is worth it.
5. Coffee roasting: Once harvested, the coffee cherries are toasted. At Hacienda Iluminada we use our honey process. This process is the processing method in which the coffee is pulped but not washed, the pulp is left on the beans to absorb those sugars while it is dried in the sun.

If it’s GOOD for earth, it is GOOD FOR YOU!

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From Our farm to YOUR cup!

Next time you enjoy a delicious cup of 787 Coffee, please remember the amazing journey that coffee has been through before it reaches your cup. At Hacienda Iluminada, we are dedicated to providing you with the best cup of coffee possible. This starts with our careful practices at our coffee farm, where every detail matters - from planting the seeds to handpicking the coffee beans and processing them. We take great care in every step of the process to ensure that we bring you the highest quality coffee possible

In conclusion…

Now you understand the magic of the lifecycle of coffee! Isn't it amazing how coffee goes from bean to cup? It takes a lot of time, patience, and love to create the perfect cup of coffee! At Hacienda Illuminada, our farmers grow and handpick our coffee with love, so you can enjoy the freshest and most flavorful coffee in Puerto Rico, New York, and El Paso. We open every Saturday with coffee tours so you learn about he story, cultivation , and process of coffee!

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