Reflections From A First Origin Trip

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Topic: Preparing for and experiencing an Origin Trip.
Coffee Smarter Expert: Lily Quiros, Lil Coffee Geek Coffee Consulting (Roasting)
Connect: www.lilcoffeegeek.com • @LilCoffeeGeek on Instagram
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KEY TAKEAWAYS

If you have the opportunity, take it.
This was Lily’s 1st organized origin trip. It was a whirlwind with a new farm or processing visit each day. One of the most important benefits of the experiences was that it allowed her to see the processes she’s long known about, studied, and parsed in theory, but in action.
Before traveling, learn about the community you’re visiting; in particular, note what coffee practices are common or most popular in the region. Be aware of farm-specific specialties and regional processing capabilities.
NicaVio is the specialty coffee farm that hosted Lily on her trip. I asked if she had any follow-up thoughts on the company.

NicaVio are great people who truly put the farmer first. They have very close relationships with the dry mill they work with as well as the farmers. Their dry mill ensures that the farmers get paid appropriately and provide the farmers feedback throughout the drying and exporting process allowing them to make improvements to their crop and get more return on their investment in the future. Lily Quiros, Lil’ Coffee Geek

Language: If you don't speak the local language, there will be barriers to communication and knowledge. Lily pointed out that even though she comprehends Spanish at a high level, it took a lot of focus to follow along, considering the local pace, slang terminology, and accent. Her ability to process and follow up with questions during Spanish-only conversations was limited. If you're planning an origin trip, have a plan in place for communicating. If you don't speak the language, consider hiring a translator or guide to assist.
Go into it with an open mind.
Fun Fact: According to World Coffee Research, Coffee accounts for 20% of Nicaragua's agricultural GDP and more than half of all agricultural jobs in the country. Per WCR:

"Nicaraguan coffee farmers traditionally grow arabica varieties under shade; however, the country legalized robusta production for lower elevations in 2016. Nicaragua recently adopted a national coffee strategy (2020-2023) focused on improving farm management and farmer incomes and responding to climate change through genetic improvement."

Travel journals help you review! I don't journal at home, but when I'm on the road, it really helps to keep notes of where I've been, who I've met, and what I've seen. I also track what coffees I've been drinking because… I'm cool like that.
Finally, I would never have thought to search for coffee farms on a vacation rental site. I searched for "Coffee Farms + Airbnb," and dozens of really cool options popped up.
Note: I originally wrote, "I googled…" but I use Brave and DuckDuckGo as my browser and search engines, respectively. I have used them for years in an effort to limit ads, but Google is so ubiquitous that its name has become a verb.

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