California is often hailed as the land of sunshine, surf, and premium wine production, but a new venture is gradually gaining ground – coffee farming. This innovative initiative, spearheaded by pioneers like Jay Ruskey of Good Land Organics, is breaking conventional coffee-growing practices, introducing the Golden State to the "Bean Belt." This article explores the origin, evolution, and unique practices behind burgeoning coffee cultivation in California.
Breaking the Bean Belt Tradition
The next cup of coffee you have may just be homegrown. Traditionally, the world's coffee supply originates from the "Bean Belt" – between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. However, a quiet revolution has been brewing over the past few decades on the California coast. Notably, in Goleta, just north of Santa Barbara, lies Good Land Organics – a farm known for growing avocados, subtropical fruits, finger limes, and coffee.
The seeds of this coffee revolution were sown over 20 years ago by Jay Ruskey, the owner of Good Land Organics. Born from a small experimental crop, Ruskey's endeavor has blossomed into a full-scale operation encompassing growing, processing, and retailing coffee, challenging the common perception that coffee can only be grown in specific regions.
From visitors sipping their first cup of Californian coffee in awe to the surprised reactions of residents, the fact that coffee is now being grown successfully in California is creating quite a buzz.
The Start of a Coffee Cultivation Experiment
This ambitious initiative began when Mark Gaskell, a California Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor, provided Ruskey with 40 coffee plants from Costa Rican seed in 2002. Both shared a common curiosity – could the unique microclimates within California nurture quality coffee beans?
Implementing the learnings from his previous collaboration with Gaskell on tropical fruits, Ruskey strategically planted the coffee among his avocado trees, a technique that allows for shared nutrients and water, a precious resource in the state. This co-planting method was innovative and sustainable, reinforcing California’s reputation as a pioneer in redefining farming practices.
However, cultivating coffee in the Golden State required a good deal of patience and a specialized approach. Coffee plants take roughly four years to mature, with an additional two years to produce a viable crop. Over the next decade, Ruskey and Gaskell invested considerable time and resources in mastering the art of coffee cultivation, focusing on achieving sweet coffee cherries and a process that would yield the best-tasting coffee.
They were up against the ticking clock and a steep learning curve. But they held fast to their vision, convinced that the diverse Californian climate could bring forth a high-quality and distinctly Californian coffee experience.
From Fringe Experiment to Frinj Coffee
As Ruskey refined his approach to coffee cultivation, his farm began producing high-quality beans with a unique flavor profile. The coffee fruit takes 10-12 months to mature in California - twice as long as in regions known for mass-market coffee production. This extended maturation, combined with California's long summers and short winters, results in coffee fruit that is among the sweetest in the world, replicating the characteristics of high mountain-grown coffees in the tropics.
Ruskey noted, "Most people are shocked when they learn that coffee is being successfully grown in California. However, our unique climate, cultivation, and process create a uniquely delicious coffee experience." And it's not just the taste that sets Californian coffee apart. Unlike most of the world's coffee that relies on predictable seasonal rains, Californian coffee uses precision irrigation, a practice common to all fruit tree crops in the state.
The innovative farming techniques at Good Land Organics extend beyond co-planting and precision irrigation. They employ a layered agricultural system, growing different crops on their hilly terrain to maximize space and resources. This means an avocado tree might share soil with passion fruit or dragon fruit, with a coffee plant growing alongside. The result is an agricultural landscape that is not only productive but resilient.
The layered agricultural system, especially for coffee, took years of trial and error to perfect. Yet, it was a challenge that Ruskey took on willingly, sharing his knowledge with other farmers in Southern California looking to diversify their crops. This sharing of knowledge and resources laid the foundation for a new coffee industry in California, leading Ruskey to co-found FRINJ Coffee in 2017. The name FRINJ is a nod to the fact that California is on the fringes of traditional coffee-producing regions but poised to make its own significant impact.
California Coffee - A Rapidly Expanding Craft Industry
The California coffee movement is thriving today, with FRINJ supporting more than 70 farmers growing coffee in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Diego counties. Notably, musician Jason Mraz, who owns a farm in San Diego County, is among them. These innovative farmers have planted over 100,000 coffee plants, all adhering to Ruskey's principles of organic and sustainable farming practices, which are integral to the FRINJ coffee program.
Ruskey explains, "Our coffee and fruit trees are Certified Organic and are leading a pathway toward regenerative farming practices for our farmers that are critical to an evolving food supply." This dedication to sustainable farming and the pursuit of a uniquely Californian coffee experience makes this craft industry stand out in a global market dominated by large-scale commodity growers.
In terms of volume, the California coffee industry can't yet compete with the global scale, but what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. This dedication to quality is personified in FRINJ’s Head Coffee Roaster, Paige Gesualdo. She has completed the prestigious Q Grader certification, becoming a coffee sommelier. Gesualdo desires to let the coffee beans speak for themselves, “I want somebody to understand that this is a fruit. So many of our beans have floral, fruity, and sometimes nutty notes. In [traditional] roasting, you bring out those nuts and sugars...However, with our quality of beans, I want to show you what we have."
According to Ruskey, California Coffee's vision is to make it a "craft" product, similar to how the state is renowned for its craft beer and fine wine. This idea of Californian coffee as a luxury, artisan product has allowed coffee to command prices that reflect its distinct character and the careful, sustainable farming methods employed. As reported by WineMag, some of the FRINJ coffees, such as the Mraz Family Farm’s Geisha coffee, sell for premium prices, affirming their place in the world of craft beverages.
The Unique FRINJ Model: Farmer-First and Sustainability-Focused
Ruskey's goal for FRINJ is to differentiate their coffee farming and production model from the traditional, large-scale commodity growers in other parts of the world. The farmer-first model that FRINJ espouses ensures that half of the end value of the coffee goes back to the farmer, a stark contrast to the global industry, where nearly 61 percent of producers sell their coffee for prices that do not cover the cost of production. "What makes us unique is our farmer-first model. Our whole systems solution gives growers the tools they need to flourish in the California-grown coffee market," Ruskey said.
This progressive approach extends beyond fair pricing. FRINJ works directly with each farmer, advising them on land assessment, recommending plant materials and infrastructure, and consulting on cultivation, sustainability, culture, research, and post-harvest services. This comprehensive, hands-on approach brings the product to market with care and attention, setting California's coffee apart.
At Good Land Organics, this forward-thinking mindset manifests in constantly exploring new coffee varieties. Griffin Hall states, "This season, we are having our first flowering of about 900 new coffee plants, which is very exciting because they will produce fruit next year."
The ambition of Good Land Organics and FRINJ extends beyond their own farms. They're committed to expanding their coffee-growing expertise and encouraging more California farmers to join the coffee-growing movement. Essentially, they’re brewing a revolution, transforming California into a severe contender in the global coffee industry.
In their pursuit of coffee excellence, they've shown that innovation, sustainability, and a commitment to farmer welfare can combine to produce a product that's not just delicious but also responsible. This ethos sets them apart, making FRINJ coffee not just a beverage but an experience that tells a story of sustainability, respect for the land, and the pursuit of a genuinely Californian coffee flavor.
If you're curious to sample this revolutionary brew, FRINJ coffee is available online. For those visiting the Santa Barbara area, Good Land Organics welcomes visitors for tours, offering a unique opportunity to see firsthand the future of coffee production in California. Visit their website for more details.
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