11/04/2017 - Suan Lahu Coffee & Tribal Experience

We’re off this morning to visit the hill tribes and coffee plantation about 80km north of Chiang Mai. Our guide is Mr. Chai. Once again, it appears we’re on a private tour.

A well known saying in this region is “for every couple of kilometers you travel out from the main cities, you go back in time at least a decade, if not more”.  We found this to be true.

Meet our tour guide, Mr Chai...

We spent the day in the mountains of Northern Thailand with Loo of the Suan Lahu tribe. He owns the coffee farm, and the members of his tribe, the Lahu Tribe, help him to maintain the farm.

After our delicious authentic lunch provided by Loo, we visited the Lahu Sheleh community. A sub-group of the Black Lahu, they are an ethnic minority originating from the Tibet/China border area.

Hiking through the farm with Loo, his machete in hand to clear the path...up the mountain.  As he’s guiding us through the organic coffee, he’s explaining all about the process of growing coffee beans... 

The red color of the berry indicates the coffee berry is ready to be picked. The picking of the berries is done by hand, no machinery.                                 

Loo explained the coffee bean is a seed of the coffee plant and the source for coffee. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit often referred to as a cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit. ... Arabica beans consist of 0.8–1.4% caffeine and Robusta beans consist of 1.7–4% caffeine.                                                           

Down the mountain toward the village for lunch and “coffee roasting” class with Loo... on the way, Loo pointed out different fruit trees and vegetables grown beside coffee bean plants on the farm. Some of the vegetables are taken to the market to sell. The families harvest their food from the farm. 

Papaya...                                                                

Just before lunch, one of the local Tribal people made us cups for our tea from a piece of bamboo we found while walking in the mountains.  Mr. Chai is checking to make sure this is the perfect piece.   

A finished product (cup) made just before our eyes with a machete...                 

The lunch room...                      

Lunch...                                                                 

Prepared specially for us, this is vegetables and rice wrapped in banana leaves...

More yummy....sticky rice with brown sugar on top (Lahu version)

Back to the coffee...

Loo told us about coffee from Yemen. The berries are eaten by cavit cats.  After digestion, the bean is pooped, roasted and used for a specialty coffee. Per Mr. Chai, the coffee is less acidic and quite expensive. He also said Laos is starting to do this with elephants - even more expensive. Here’s some poo coffee ready to roast 😳.                                 

After lunch we went to see the Tribal people separating the beans after they’re hulled. These ladies spend hours upon hours separating the good beans from the bad ones. The yield for the good beans is only about 10%. Drinking a cup of coffee will never be the same. 

After separation, we went to the roaster to roast some beans for us to take with us.

Putting the beans the roaster...                               

We packaged up 3 bags of coffee beans to take home with us . 

In mid-afternoon we left the hill Tribal village and returned to Chiang Mai, after a wonderful day and incredible education.