Byron Shire coffee producer Green Cauldron Coffee has designed and installed the Australian coffee industry’s most environmentally friendly and advanced waste water facility. Following three years of planning, installation and approval by the Byron Shire Council the coffee plantation in Federal is now fully utilising the $135,000 facility. “We’re pretty over the moon about it” said Richard Kelly, General Manager of Green Cauldron Coffee. “With this recycling facility we’ve basically achieved a closed loop for water usage and waste and we are able to capture and use every part of the coffee cherry, not just the bean”. Leading Environmental Health Scientist Tim Fitzroy worked with Green Cauldron Coffee to plan and build the facility. “The design is both contemporary and best practice” outlined Mr Fitzroy. “So it’s fitting that the Byron Shire should be home to such groundbreaking work. It’s been a joy to work with such an innovative company willing to invest in green technology”. Most Australian coffee producers use a wet process to wash and separate coffee. However, the natural sugars found in coffee together with debris from leaves and branches deplete oxygen levels in the waste water and increase biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). Water in this state is unsafe to release into waterways and is too strong to be used for irrigation. Green Cauldron’s bespoke water recycling facility uses a sand filtration process combined with anaerobic bugs to significantly reduce BOD and increase oxygen levels – making the water safe to use. Any solid waste is composted and used to fertilise the coffee trees. The net effect is a reduction in water consumption and protection of waterways and catchment areas. The process takes four to five weeks. “Optimal health and vitality for our coffee trees is what we’re after” said Richard Kelly, “and we hope that people can taste this in our single origin coffee”.
news
Pioneering green technology developed by local coffee company
March 2nd, 2010Three cheers for Shirohie!
February 11th, 2010
From looking at this picture you’d be forgiven for thinking that we’ve let our standards slip. Whilst the plantation may look a little unkept and “wild” what you are actually seeing is a calculated planting of Shirohie Millet. And it was a good thing we did , too. Having planted our 10,000 seedlings early in the new year the Byron bay area experienced some extremely hot and dry weather. Luckily the fast growing Shirohie that we had planted provided our new babies with an excellent shelter from the burning summer heat. As January lumbered on we thought the hot spell would never break, until finally as if on queue, the heavens broke on the 1st of Febuary sending a constant downpour of rain for almost a fortnight. The same millet that had just protected our seedlings from the searing heat was now stablising the soil as torrents of water moved across the new plantings. Now, with the sun shining once again, the plantation has been reinvigorated with growth and greenery, and with that come the weeds. Thankfully our trusty millet saves the day once again, this time by supressing any new weed growth. What else can we say, we love you Shirohie!
Processing Coffee at Green Cauldron
February 9th, 2010Here’s a link to a video clip we recently put togther during our 2009 Harvest. On this particular day we were using a “semi-washed processing” method. This style of coffee is usually bright and fruity and perfect for the french-press or filter coffee.
Bean counting
December 2nd, 2009
Coffee Beans in Storage
With the last of the remaining 2009 crop being harvested life on the farm is slowly settling back to normal, well for a short while at least. As you can see from the picture our storage shed is full to the brim with Green Cauldron coffee, bagged and tagged in batches that reflect the not only the processing style but the area (block) from which it was harvested, conditions at the time as well as any other interesting anomlies that may add to it’s future potential. Interestingly this year’s harvest consists predominately of late harvest ”naturals” or black over ripe cherries that have matured on the trees. This was due to the heavy rainfall that triggered flowering, effectively ceasing our harvest for almost a fortnight. The hot days that followed advanced much of the crop to this mature stage, which mind you is not a bad thing. As we have mentioned before in our Green Cauldron blogs these “naturals” are highly sought after for their complexity and sweetness and are a perfect partner in any espresso blend.
Starting the Coffee Harvest
October 13th, 2009
It’s been a while since our last news update; not because we’ve had nothing to say, indeed it’s been precisely the opposite. But now with our dryers full to the brim we finally have the chance to sit back and reflect on a busy start to the harvest season. Triggered by a warm start to spring and a heavy crop load it didn’t take long for the first batch of coffee cherry to ripen. Despite the visible changes that were occurring getting the timing right for the first harvest was, as always, tricky. This is mainly due to the varying stages of fruit maturity at any one time across the plantation; it is not necessarily how much red cherry you pull off but more importantly how much green cherry you leave on the tree. This is a management decision which is fundamental to the flavour you find in the cup as high levels of green and immature coffee bean will produce an unpleasant and astringent tasting coffee.
As it happened the first pass was no more than a light “tickle” with our Korvan harvester shaking off only the ripest fruit from the most mature parts of the property. This produced a fantastic first batch of predominately plump deep red cherry with a mixture of black fruit which had naturally ripened and then dried on tree . These “naturals” were left in their husk to dry further and will typically produce a full bodied and complex sweetness perfect for espresso whilst our prime cherry was processed using our semi-washed system in a similar style to coffees from South and Central America.
All in all it’s been a successful start to the season with some great coffee being harvested and with the ripening pattern now evening out across the plantation we all have a feeling that the best is yet to come.
Byron Bay Slow Food News
September 10th, 2009A few months ago we took part in a 100 Mile Lunch at the Cromwell Farm. As part of the Byron Bay Slow Food chapter we were all treated to a host of local produce including, of course, Green Cauldron Coffee. It was a fantastic way to wile the afternoon away; spectacular views, passionate people and a wonderful array of fresh local produce.
As part of their upcoming Slow Food newsletter, we were asked to write a brief article about Green Cauldron Coffee and the benefits of drinking locally grown coffee, enjoy.
For a beverage that is renowned for its stimulating properties, the slow and intricate journey of the coffee bean can seem almost a contraction. From the blossoming of the coffee flower to the ripening of the cherry it is a journey that can last up to 10mths – and that’s before harvesting, processing, drying, milling, blending, roasting and finally the extraction has taken place. Whilst the majority of all coffee consumed in Australia is imported the unique microclimate that is found in the hinterland of Byron Bay is proving perfect for producing a high quality local product. Unlike traditional coffee growing nations our region has stayed free from devastating disease and as such benefits from not having to be sprayed with any harmful fumigants or pesticides. Couple this with the obvious reduction in food miles and our local coffee offers a considerably greener alternative to imported bean.
With the warm spring weather now truly upon us local producers such as Green Cauldron Coffee are entering what is undoubtedly their busiest period. Harvest time. After the long ripening period the coffee cherries are fast approaching their prime and across the entire region preparations are well underway to receive this year’s crop. At Green Cauldron this means running through a list of pre-season checks on their newly commissioned processing plant at the heart of their 72 acre plantation just outside Federal Village. Having a centralised, onsite location means that Green Cauldron Coffee can efficiently process its crop whilst maintaining direct control over quality, literally from the crop to the cup. With an expected yield of between 20-25 tonne this year Green Cauldron will look to expand upon its current range with a 2009 release of Single Estate coffee as well as continuing their local blend sourced directly from boutique growers in the region.
Coffee Plantation tours
September 2nd, 2009
Last week we had the enviable opportunity of showing two lovely ladies, Karen and Jacqueline around our Federal Estate Coffee Plantation. With a friendship that has spanned over 17yrs Karen and Jacqueline have just joined forces on a new business venture – Foodscape Tours. Sharing a passion for food Karen and Jacqueline decided to create Foodscape as a way to acknowledge and celebrate the producers and fine cuisine of the Green Cauldron region. Offering “culinary discovery trails around Byron bay, the Hinterland and beyond” Foodscape have just added Green Cauldron Coffee to their growing list of passionate local producers. As part of their “Best of Byron and Beyond” bus tour, visitors to the plantation can expect an educative and intimate tour exploring the intricate journey from coffee tree to cup. For information on upcoming trips you can email Foodscape at info@foodscapetours.com.au
Green Cauldron Coffee makes the BeanScene
August 24th, 2009
A few months ago we were lucky enough to gain some coverage in a great new coffee publication BeanScene Magazine. Here’s an extract of the interview between BeanScene Detective Greg Cromwell and our very own Richard Kelly.
Green Cauldron Coffee, Federal Estate Plantation
Where are you located? Outside a small village called Federal about 20min from Byron Bay. We sit on about 72 acres of prime coffee terroir with roughly 50,000 well established trees (K7 variety).
And your annual production? We’re capable of pulling around 40 tonne in a good year.
How is this years crop looking? It’s a great crop this year. We had a lot of consistent rain the back end of November which induced a fairly uniform flowering across the entire Plantation. Since then we’ve had perfect for growing conditions and the trees have never been in better shape.
When will be you be harvesting? We’ll look to start harvesting in mid September. Our major flowering, as I said, was in late November, however since then we’ve had a number smaller flowerings so I’d expect we could run up to four passes this year.
What type of gear do you harvest with? We’ve just brought in the latest Korvan 9200 harvester from the United States. With a price tag of just under $200,000 it’s a pretty impressive machine that enables us to selectively pick the crop over numerous passes.
Do you process on the estate? Yes we have a fully automated processing mill onsite with a climate controlled store room to maintain the intregrity and flavours of the dried green bean. The majority of our processing equipment is from Palini Alves [an equipment manufacturer in Brazil]. We process using two styles, firstly a Semi-Washed Process whereby only the ripe red-coloured cherry is pulped and the mucilage mechanically removed from the bean. The second style is called the Natural Process where the black-coloured over ripe cherry is dried within the outer husk. One characteristically produces a nice clean cup with a distinctive regional sweetness whilst the other results in a more complex and full bodied coffee, perfect for espresso.
Who owns Federal Estate? Steven Richards, who is based in the UK, owns the Plantation. He has strong connections to the food and hospitality industry which is where he first developed his passion for coffee. Steve’s wife is Australian which, apart from the fantastic coffee, is what lead him to the Northern Rivers area.
Plans for the future? Federal Estate is part of a wider concern, namely the Green Cauldron brand. We have spent a lot of time since harvest cupping and evaluating last year’s crop and look to launch our signature Green Cauldron roast in the upcoming months. Alongside that there’s also the ongoing research and development in growing and processing techniques to promote quality, consistency and most importantly the recognition of Australian Coffee.
Where can we buy your product? Green Cauldron Coffee will be primarily sold online however we are talking to a few marquee establishments interested in promoting Australian coffee.
What makes your brew special? Our plantation has all the right components for growing great coffee in terms of soil, aspect, slope and climate. Historically it has produced some of the best coffee in the region and we are really excited about the direction our new Green Cauldron flavour profile is headed.
Do you offer tours and tastings? No, not for the public at this time. We do try to accommodate those in the industry and plan to host open days with the local Sub-Tropical Coffee Association but at this stage it very much a working farm.
During one of my visits I met David Peasley, what is he doing for you? David is credited by many to be the pioneer of growing Sub-Tropical Coffee in Australia. David, through his company Peasley Horticultural Services consults us on all Agronomic matters. We also commissioned David to produce a Growers Manual to address the very particular and unique circumstances encountered in Sub-tropical Australia. The aim is to put our plantation at the forefront of best practice with the view to unite and collectively elevate the local coffee industry.
How do you drink your coffee? If I don’t have any cupping planned then I usually like to kick start the morning with a Short black and then settle down to a flat white or two during the day.
Federal Estate; Happily in the Red
August 16th, 2009
A vibrant change is underway at Green Cauldron’s Federal Estate in the Hinterland of Byron bay. As Spring fast approaches clusters of green cherry are slowly ripening, peppering the plantation with lush red cherry. A mild winter with cool and clear weather has aligned us with an early Spring harvest and preparation is now well in advance to process the tonnes of prime coffee cherry from our Federal Estate. It has been almost 10mths since the trees first flowered, setting the crop for 2009. This slow journey benefits our Green Cauldron Coffee by increasing the sugar content in the fruit, leading to a naturally sweet characteristic in the cup. Whilst not all the fruit will ripen simultaneously we will be able to selectively pick the crop by adjusting the agitation levels on our mechanical harvester. If need be we can further refine our cherry selection during the processing system ensuring that only the best beans make it into your cup.
Preparation for planting has begun.
July 29th, 2009
Fez the Farmhand looking over the freshly mulched field.
At Green Cauldron’s, Federal Estate property in the Byron Bay hinterland, preparation is now well underway for the recieval of 8,000 coffee seedlings (k7 variety, Coffea arabica, arabica) come early Spring. Preliminary ground works have finally cleared the lower coffee blocks leaving a fine layer of prime organic mulch to regenerate the soil. Whilst it was a little heart-wrenching watching the old crop disappear we are strengthened by the fact that as a long term solution it will provide the Estate with a much healthier and more managable crop. The next step in the long process is to set out the coffee rows using G.P.S alignment followed by running a “winged keel” single ripper to work the planting bed. Once this is complete then we will then rotary hoe the beds and create low profile broad mounds to ensure better drainage for the trees. As the ground works come into completion the area will be planted out with a fast growing crop to control erosion afterwhich the land will be left to settle in prepartion for a Novemeber planting. It will take another four years for us to taste any results, but I’m sure the wait will be worth it!
