We travelled up island to the Belmont Plantation - and had a great tour. We started inside, where the farmers bring in bags and buckets of the cocoa seeds every other Wednesday. In the fields, they pick the pods and with their machetes, cut the top off and pull out the string of seeds, as Barry is demonstating below.
After each farmer puts his harvest into a flat to drain, the beans are weighed and then he is paid. Then the beans are put into pens - similar to a compost bin with removal sides. The beans are aged there for 7 days and every two days, they are turned, as our tour guide shows below.
After 7 days, the beans are taken to drying racks outside. Once there, the staff walks on the beans every 1/2 hour throughout the day - and at night - if the weather is bad, they are covered. The beans stay on the drying rack for a week until they are dry and brown. I had a chance to 'walk on the beans' - and it was pretty cool!
Once the beans are dry, they are send to chocolate companies, who process the beans. The beans from this plantation go to the Grenada Chocolate Company (incredible Nutmeg Truffle!!), Lindt in Switzerland, and a company in the US. I think Rancho Vignola needs to check this out!
Beans used to be polished before being exported, but they no longer are. On special occassions, a demonstration of 'dancing on the beans' is given - which is actually dancing on the beans. After our tour, we enjoyed a cup of cocoa tea (even Barry!) which turns out to be Grenadian hot chocolate. They use a special chocolate ball - which I have a supply of now to bring home so you all can taste it!
We also checked out the goat dairy, turtle pen, parrots and plant nursery while we were there. Lu is the gardener - and knew so much about the plants. It was amazing to see plants we can only grow indoors growing outdoors - and growing so big!
We ended our tour with a visit to the Grenada Chocolate Company - and in support of local farmers, had to force ourselves to enjoy a few chocolate treats!
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