A quick note from Brazil

Before Jodi judged at the coffee competition in Brazil, she had the great pleasure to visit the Fazenda Boa Sorte where we buy some of our coffee from. This is an excerpt from the email she sent to all of us about stay on the farm: dismas (from hotwire in shoreline), paul (a roaster from newberg), ross (a conservative texas "businessman" who helped bruno establish his business in the u.s.) and i are staying at zinho's house for a second night before heading to lavras for competition calibration tomorrow. we have been well cared for, well fed and well loved by bruno's family and friends. bettonya, a doctor and owner of fazenda boa sorte, picked us up from the airport, stayed with us at bruno's siter's house in belo horizonte, and drove us four hours through the mountains to campos altos and straight to boa sorte where her family and farm workers had prepared a delicious meal: satly meat, big pots of beans, pork, vegetables, manioc (a root vegetable like a cross between a potato and a turnip), cold beer and homemade cashasha (cane liquor like a cross between rum and tequila). we ate, drank, took a tour of the fazenda on foot, hung out, went for a drive (dismas and i opted for the back of the truck with bettonya's three kids, one of whom, simon, is my new best friend) to the top of the farm, and spent the rest of the evening on the porch while everyone who had stopped by to say hello to us sat around and sang along to every brazilian song they could think to play on the guitar. although bruno's nephew chiago did manage to sneak in a few bob marley and pink floyd tunes, we mostly happily spectated and pushed simon et al on the hammock. paul and ross took naps, i took pictures on my 35mm (my digital battery is not taking a charge...) and helped simon build a fire. dismas drank cashasha. it was wonderful to see their small farm and talk to them about their coffee. they have only had it for nine years, and with bruno's help are trying to produce the best coffee possible. they have screens and patios for drying, are planting more yellow bourbon at the top of their farm (they also have cattui), and they do their own wet and dry milling. their coffee is in the competition and i am crossing my fingers that it rises to top--there is a lot of love and goodwill in those beans.