Is Boquete's Geisha Life for You?

I'm referring to the famous Geisha arabica coffee, of course. Some say Gesha, some say Geisha, you may have heard both are correct but but they are not the same type of coffee. Panama Geisha is spelled with the i and is a genetically unique it is the T2722 variety of Geisha which is a more rare variety and is less domesticated than other varieties. This combined with the unique growing conditions that Boquete has to offer has resulted in the award winning flavors of Panama Geisha Coffee. Boquete is the ideal setting for the passionate coffee lover who would like to be a part of producing the world best coffee. Like fine wine vineyards the coffee farms of Boquete are world renowned. Boquete is a verdant area located in the Talamanca mountain range that extends well into Costa Rica. The town is situated at roughly 4,000 ft (1,200 m) within 40 miles of the border with Coast Rica. Plantations for flowers and coffee are interspersed through the mountain valleys, below the peaks that reach 11,000 ft. Coffee drinkers around the world are grateful for the rich history and happenstance circumstances that brought Geisha coffee and Boquete together. Passionate individuals have been drawn to the lifestyle in the bountiful garden that is Boquete and have become their own proprietor of boutique coffee plantation or coffee finca.

Curiosity in this beautiful area goes hand in hand with its origin. Boquete itself was formally established by local residents in 1911 and grew with immigrants from Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, and North America. This diverse beginning is evident today, as the area hosts Panama's largest expat community and a culture that blends many traditions and modern tastes. For a sense of scale,the population of the entire Boquete district is roughly 20,000 – so it's neither a lonely outpost nor a crowded suburb. And the total land area of Panama is roughly equivalent to the U.S. state of South Carolina – about 400 miles long and varies from 50 – 70 miles wide.

The Weather Outlook – Pleasant

The climate that residents enjoy makes for equally satisfied coffee plants. The average low temperature is only 60 F (15 C), with extremes of 55 F (12 C). On the high side, the average is about 80 F (26 C) with the extreme being 90 F (32 C). Rainfall varies from less than 3 in (70 mm) during dry months to 20 in (525 mm) during the wettest month. And remember, its only a 45 minute drive down to the coastal beaches and warmer weather and great fishing.The tables below illustrate a typical year. And another factor that favors coffee plants is the proximity to the equator – with nearly even year-round split between 12 hour days and 12 hour nights. Panama offers something else that the coffee plants don't notice, but the residents surely do – the absence of Daylight Savings Time. Set your clock and forget it - welcome to the Tropics!

Geisha coffee originally from Ethiopia flourishes in Boquete.

There are many stories a rich and diverse history of how the Geisha variety of coffee made its way from Ethiopia to South America, though there is no disputing how it arrived in Panama. An agriculturist from Costa Rica named Pachi Serracin (aka Don Pachi) was in search of a coffee variety resistant to prevalent strains of coffee leaf "rust". Coffee rust was affecting crops in the Boquete region, at a great cost to production. In 1963, Don Pachi brought Geisha to acquaintances around Boquete. The hope was that the favorable climate and unique soil resulting from volcanic deposits would make a difference. And Don Pachi's family still owns their finca in Boquete to this day.

While the Geisha variety was well suited to the area, it also required greater care and attention than the more common Robusta coffee. And the relatively smal lharvests of Geisha were often intermixed with other varieties, so its unique flavor was obscured by the less dramatic flavors present in the overall mixed harvest. To give a sense of the difference between the mass-produced varieties and Geisha, Panamanian exports peaked at about 200,000 bags during the 1990's. In 2014, Panama exported only 45,000 bags of Geisha beans. Quality eventually prevailed over quantity. That turnaround seemingly began in the 1980's with the conversion of some dairy cattle grazing acreage to coffee production by the Peterson family. A separate farm, located at higher elevation, was soon added to their holdings and Geisha was planted in some of the plots. However, coffee harvesting practices had changed very little and the practice of blending all varieties continued as the norm.

A real breakthrough happened in 2004, when one of the family thought to try something different – separating the beans from each parcel to better understand the differences between their farming locations. This method has been practiced in the French wine making for centuries, though it wasn't obvious that "terroir" might also apply to coffee beans. Fast forward and this bit of serendipity resulted in a small crop of 100% Geisha beans from a single high elevation farm. It turned out that this was the first time that Geisha had been known to be planted at that elevation (1650 meters or 5,400 ft). The next dotthat would connect Geisha coffee to the world was the Best of Panama event that year, when Finca Esmeralda submitted their coffees for the annual cupping competition and auction. Esmeralda won that competition and their Geisha beans set a record for the highest price paid for coffee at auction.

It should also be mentioned that while Geisha has become synonymous with coffee in Boquete, the farmers in the area also produce a number of highly sought after specialty coffee varieties: Caturra, Typica, Bourbon, Catuai, and San Ramon. While these varieties don't carry the instant name recognition of their cousin, they are becoming more sought after by the coffee cognoscente.

Small Community and Destined to Remain So

In today's international coffee market, the best Geisha beans sell for USD 140 per pound. That might suggest that fortunes are to be made in the Boquete trade. The reality is that the area remains dotted with small plantations among the numerous microclimates at varying elevations. The geography and terrain do favor the small enterprise over the large commercial operation one can imagine elsewhere. Most commercial plantations in Brazil, for example, produce more coffee in a year than the entirety of the Boquete region. So thefuture of Geisha coffee in Boquete is likely to remain in the hands of individual fincas, that share the lush valleys with farmers that grow flowers, fruit and vegetables that sustain the country. This smallness fuels the strong sense of community that has evolved in Boquete, as well as a commitment to partnering with the indigenous residents and sustaining this precious land. For some drawn to Boquete, their desire to become connected to the region has led them down the path of coffee production.

There are dozens of small scale, independent specialty coffee growers in the area that have come to embrace the lifestyle offered in this beautiful setting. There are also a number of "aggregators" that commercially manage plantations and sell the product to international markets. Despite the intense awareness of Boquete, opportunities do exist to acquire perfect undeveloped land that is suitable for Geisha coffee development. These opportunities require an investment in the time needed for new plantings to become mature producers. You would be joined in the journey by the experienced locals who are indispensable in their knowledge of the cultivation practices, awareness of microclimate characteristics, and the nuances to perfect the growth and harvest of the a specialty coffee harvest. You might be fully satisfied joining the expat community without this immersion into the land, which suits many people. Or you may desire full immersion and the entrepreneurial challenge that will develop your roots in the community. Full disclosure: keep in mind that this is farming, which is of course a labor of love. Talk to any farmer and you will likely hear that your love had better equal the labor and investment required! Yet the allure of living in Boquete is not a mirage and the consensus is the effort is justified by the natural beauty, lifestyle, and attributes of the unique community.

One way to explore your curiosity in the community and gain a true appreciation of plantation life is to visit an operating finca. A brief online search reveals numerous fincas that offer visitors both single-day or weekend coffee tours. These typically include 2 or 3 days at a small plantation where guests experience the many the "finca life" firsthand. It is a fabulous way to learn more about your favorite cup's origin and the environment where it flourishes. Many expats and retirees have been introduced to the Boquete lifestyle through these tours. It's an easy way to connect with the finca owners and staff, who share their insights on life in this special place. For those visitors that are hardy and adventurous, there are opportunities to work half days on a finca in exchange for room and board. These arrangements are common among the smaller plantations managed by individual families. If you are more than curious about becoming your own coffee finca owner, this option allows you to combine real-life plantation work with time to explore the area as a tourist. The ultimate try before you buy experience! Information can be found here: https://www.workaway.info/745326712513-en.html

Visitors to the Boquete district will be pleased to find that the coffee plantations have actually contributed to maintaining biodiversity. This is because the growing practices tend to be traditional methods, and the majority of Boquete coffee varieties are shade grown. The most traditional practices grow the coffee bushes under a diverse canopy of native forest trees in high to moderate shade. This feature is widely believed to be the reason behind the complexity and distinctive character of Boquete coffee, as compared with coffees from neighboring countries. The trade off for the fincas employing the shade practice is lower yields, albeit at higher prices for the resulting quality. And some of the most highly regarded growers are devoted to organic farming and fair trade practices. For those interested in relocation, there are many niches to explore. It could become your hobby or lead to a more passionate endeavor.

Your very own finca

You are bound to enquire about property and housing while you are visiting Boquete,so here are some helpful references. While touring the area, you might also wonder about the prerequisites for residency in Panama. After all, there is a reason why Panama – and Boquete in particular – has become a top destination for expats and retirees and people with a passion for the worlds best tasting coffee production

First off, anyone can own property in Panama. Foreigners have the same property rights as Panamanians. You don't have to be a resident of Panama; you can even purchase real estate as a tourist not living in Panama. The challenge is finding a property you like and paying a fair price for it. Whether you find a property you like on your own or with the assistance of a realtor, you will need to hire an attorney to do the title search and draw up the paperwork for the sale. The next thing to understand is that there are 2 primary forms of property ownership in Panama – and there are very important differences between them.

The first option is to buy what is known as "titled" property, which comes with a deed and has an official "finca" number assigned to it. This is the most secure form of ownership and should be your first choice.The second ownership method is called Right of Possession, or ROP. An ROP property is technically owned by the Panamanian government. When you purchase an ROP, you essentially purchase a 'right' to use the property. Importantly, ROP real estate can be sub-divided, resold, rented, farmed and built on. And you pay no property tax.

There is one other type of real estate transaction in Panama – being real estate that is held in a Panama Corporation. This might sound intimidating, but it is actually a very popular method of holding property by expats living in Panama. The Panama Corporation is typically of interest to those seeking estate planning and asset protection benefits. Under this legal arrangement, the property may be titled or ROP, so you will still want to check the ownership status and weigh the differences. If you purchase a property that is in a corporation, you usually buy the 'shares' of the company and the real estate comes with it. This can be an excellent choice on many levels and works well for partnerships.

Residency options are fairly straightforward, though like in a real estate purchase you will need to engage an attorney to complete the process. The Visa programs available to you include:

· Pensionado or Retirement Visa. You must demonstrate possession of a lifetime pension of at least USD 1,000 per month as well as an additional USD 250 for your partner. The income source must be from a government agency, military branch, or a corporation. Keep in mind that you will not be allowed to work under this Visa.

· Friendly Nation Visa. Citizens of 50 countries considered "friendly" by Panama must establish a USD 5,000 Panamanian bank deposit and do 1 of the following: (1) have a labor contract, (2) set up a corporation with the "intent" of doing business in Panama, or (3) purchase a property worth at least $100,000. Any Geisha coffee farm will easily qualify for this option.

· Business Investor Visa: Invest at least $160,000 in a legitimate Panamanian business and show business activity to qualify for permanent residency. Additional requirements are to obtain a business license, register with social security, and hire 5 Panamanian employees.

· Reforestation Visa: To qualify for this "green visa" you will have to invest a minimum of $80,000 to purchase at least 5 hectares of titled land in a government certified reforestation project. Teak farms are a popular investment choice for this Visa.

If you have passion for coffee for owning the best in the world and living at least part time in one of the worlds best year round weather, souronded by beauty, flavor and luxury, developing and owning a Boquete geisha coffee farm may be for you.