What Harvest Season Looks Like and What It Means for Your Coffee
Every great cup of coffee has a backstory, and it’s been a while since we shared ours, so we’re starting the year with a few updates from our farm.
One of our strongest harvests in years
This year’s harvest has been exceptional. One of the best productions we’ve seen in a long time.
This happened because of long-term planning, thoughtful farming decisions, and weather that cooperated at exactly the right moments, all of which directly impact production and quality.
As you might know, our family has been coffee farmers for four generations, which means many of the coffee trees on our 170 acres farm were over 70 years old—carrying incredible history, but like all of us… they eventually slow down a bit.
For the past two decades, we’ve been intentionally removing the oldest plants and replacing them with new ones, knowing that coffee trees take 3–4 years before producing fruit. This year, many of those younger trees have reached maturity, bringing stronger yields and better consistency across the farm.
Why rain timing matters
We began harvesting ripe cherries at the end of November, and this season benefited from two major rains—one in February and another in April. Rain is critical because it triggers flowering in coffee plants. After a dry period, the first significant rains signal the trees to flower. Simply put: no rain, no flowers—and no flowers means no coffee.
Each flowering lasts only a few days, but the cherries that follow take 7–9 months to fully ripen. Because we had two flowering cycles, ripening happened in stages, which makes harvesting more precise… and a lot more work.
Only fully ripe cherries are picked (bright red—or fully yellow in the case of our Pacamara Amarillo). Green cherries stay on the tree to finish ripening. That’s why roughly 40% of the crop was intentionally left behind during the first passes and is being collected in the final rounds at the end of January.
Quality over shortcuts. Always.
On a typical harvest day, each picker:
• Harvests cherries by hand
• Carefully checks and removes any green or damaged fruit
• Ensures only evenly ripe cherries make it into the bag
This step matters more than most people realize. Green cherries negatively affect flavour, and our team takes real pride in getting it right.
Once the bags are filled, they’re weighed, grouped along the roadside, and collected by truck at the end of the day before heading to the mill.
Quality isn’t added later—it’s protected at every step.
The people behind the coffee ❤️
None of this happens without our community. We have 25 full-time team members, and during harvest that grows to about 60 seasonal workers. That consistency allows us to pick cherries at peak ripeness—something many neighbouring farms struggle with due to labour shortages.
We’re incredibly grateful for every person who makes this work possible and helps bring our coffee directly to you.
What’s next
The first cupping of this harvest takes place in early February, with our UK buyers joining Dad in El Salvador. Our coffees have consistently scored well above the specialty threshold for years, and all signs point to another standout season.
We’ll be sharing updates after that first cupping session, and who knows, we might just have another El Salvador Cup of Excellence contender on our hands.
Thank you for loving our coffees and for your continued support. It allows us to farm with intention, invest in people, and protect both quality and legacy—from seed to cup.
Brew boldly. Live fully,
The Crickle Creek Family