A Bowl Full of "Cherries"

Several days ago, we noticed that the coffee cherries were getting ripe. First, there were just a couple red fruits on the branches. Then suddenly, it seemed the whole bush was loaded with them! They clung to the branches like pretty red beads -- almost too pretty to pick. But I had determined, after seeing so many blossoms this year, that I would try to harvest them and see if I could brew some coffee from my own, home grown coffee beans. It took about seven months for the flowers to turn into ripe cherries.

Last year's crop was just too small to deal with, but I did do a little research to see how to prepare them. So this will be an experiment. We'll see how it goes.Some of the cherries still need to ripen; it will take me a few more days of picking. I did notice that some of them had been nibbled by birds, so I guess I will leave a few for my feathered friends. Next, I will have to remove the pulp, or husk, from the beans. I will be doing this by hand, so it will take some time. Once I get that job done, I will post an update. So stay tuned!