Delicate coffee blossoms, lyrically referred to as Kona Snow, make their first appearance in the spring. These fragrant, white blossoms give way to smooth, round fruit that gradually ripen from green to red hence the term coffee cherry.

Harvesting coffee cherry is done at the peak of ripeness to achieve optimal quality. The Kona coffee crop is entirely hand-picked and this harvesting method guarantees only the best cherries are picked for processing. Coffee pickers strap baskets around their waists for easier maneuvering in the rocky orchards. A seasoned coffee picker can fill three 100-pound bags in a day, but only the fastest coffee pickers can duplicate the sound of rain falling on a tin roof.

COFFEE PICKING TIPS

• Use fingertips to loosen only the red cherries
• Start at the trunk and work out to the end of each branch
• Let your eyes look ahead for the red coloring, being careful to choose only the bright, red hues
• Move around the tree, starting from the top to the bottom
• Position the basket right under the coffee tree branch.