Welcome to Panama!
There is simply no other course like this anywhere in the world. An elite level of education, in a stunningly beautiful setting. Some highlights of this course include the hikes to our award winning Geisha farms, Finca Sophia (2000 meters), Finca La Mula (1750 meters) and Finca La Cabra (1550 meters). Every day of this intensive course we will split time between being outdoors observing and participating in the workings of a specialty coffee farm; and being indoors learning the art and science of coffee cultivation, processing and cupping coffee with expert level lectures and hands-on experience.

Stay at a Magnificent Working Coffee Farm
The class takes place on-site at the farm of the Hartmann family, personal friends of Boot Coffee and third generation coffee farmers known throughout Panama. Their farm will be your classroom. In addition we will travel to Finca La Mula and Finca Sophia, the breathtaking, spectacular award winning Geisha farms of Willem Boot and partners. In addition, we will tour the recently planted Finca La Cabra, the newest member of our family of Geisha farms. You will stay in a national forest preserve in western Panama near the border with Costa Rica; a stopover point for countless species of migratory, brilliantly-colored birds. Ornithologists and entomologists come here from all over the world to study the beautiful natural wildlife. Wake up and see gorgeous, healthy coffee trees. Outside of our rustic lodge you see a canopy of lush, green native forest trees, with birds flitting from branch to branch.
 The course is very hands-on and covers coffee farming, harvesting, processing, roasting, and cupping, with a different emphasis for each course.

Course Schedule
The Panama course is an intensive course with a good amount of physical exercise. The days start with an early breakfast and we usually finish the course days just before sunset. Lodging (4 nights) and meals (Monday to Friday) are provided by us.
We will meet you on Monday morning  inside the terminal of David Airport to transport you to Finca Hartmann. We will transport you on Friday afternoon to David airport to be on time for the afternoon flight from David to Panama City.

From Harvest to Process to Roasting to Cupping
The course takes place during the last part of the main harvest and at the beginning of the harvest of our high elevated Sophia and La Mula Geisha farms With access to dozens of different lots being prepared and finished, there will be an emphasis on harvesting, processing and cupping in this class. Each day will include a tasting session and discussion featuring fresh-crop coffees; it’s a real master class for coffee buyers and anyone looking to truly understand the quality parameters of green coffee.

 

What’s Included?
Students will stay on-site in a rustic forest lodge situated in the middle of the farm, surrounded by a tropical forest. Food, lodging, and local transportation are all covered in the cost of the course.

Important Note
Each participant is responsible for his or her own airfare to Panama City and from there to the town of David, Panama. From David, we will cover your travel to and from the Hartmann coffee farm, and all meals while at the farm.