Sustainable Coffee Farming in Vietnam: A Personal Journey

Saturday - 24/05/2025 10:02

How a beginner built a sustainable coffee process—organic farming, hand-picking, and roasting for the richest flavors

Sustainable Coffee Farming in Vietnam: A Personal Journey

The Journey to High-Quality Coffee: From Farm to Cup

Starting with Coffee

Coffee is more than just a beverage—it’s a fruit grown in the highlands of Da Lat, Vietnam, at elevations of 1,200 - 1,600 meters. The flavor of coffee is shaped by how it's grown, harvested, processed, and roasted, making each cup unique.

Since 2017, HuyEco Coffee has been committed to sustainable coffee farming, embracing biodiversity, organic cultivation, and hand-picked harvesting with a near 100% ripeness rate. We manage every step, from planting to roasting, aiming to create a richer coffee experience while fostering sustainable development for farmers and the environment.

The Pan: Our First Roast

Before I started farming, I was used to instant coffee—it was cheap and convenient. But after our 2017 harvest, we had a problem: there was no facility nearby to process and roast coffee.

So, we took matters into our own hands.

We roasted our coffee on a wood-fired pan, experimenting with flavors that farmers—some with over 30 years of experience—had never explored. Ironically, these same farmers had always sold their coffee to large corporations, only to buy back instant coffee for their own consumption.

Curious about why our coffee tasted so different, we began our deep dive into coffee craftsmanship.

The first light roast attempt—coffee beans developing beany and grassy notes due to uneven heating in the pan.

Medium roast coffee with an unexpected sharp sweetness—early experiments in pan roasting revealed inconsistencies in bean size and heat exposure.' 🔹 Alt Text: 'Medium roast coffee beans in a wood-fired pan, producing a slightly harsh sweetness due to uneven roasting conditions. — Medium roast coffee with an unexpected sharp sweetness—early experiments in pan roasting revealed inconsistencies in bean size and heat exposure

The first dark roast batch—deep smoky aroma but inconsistent roasting, as smaller beans cooked faster than larger ones.' 🔹 Alt Text: 'Dark roast coffee beans in a pan over a wood-fire stove, yielding bold smoky flavors but uneven roasting due to bean size differences. — The first dark roast batch—deep smoky aroma but inconsistent roasting, as smaller beans cooked faster than larger ones.

Understanding Coffee as a Fruit

With proper guidance, we hand-picked only 100% ripe cherries, something most farmers didn't do. The difference was staggering—the flavor, the texture, the quality.

Back when I was a student, I thought good coffee came from high-tech factories—modern labs with experts in white coats, just like in TV commercials.

But the reality?

A truly great cup of coffee begins on the farm.

Coffee must be picked ripe and processed the same day—or else it ferments and molds. We worked overtime to ensure proper processing, battling the cold nights of the Dalat plateau while pushing forward with passion.

A coffee farmer in Vietnam sitting beside a harvest of ripe red coffee cherries, illustrating coffee’s origin as a fruit before processing. — Coffee is more than just a beverage—it’s a fruit first! Freshly harvested red cherries, rich with natural sweetness, marking the beginning of the coffee journey.

The Colors of Coffee

You may have seen pictures of farmers harvesting coffee—but have you ever wondered how it works?

Coffee varies by species, ripeness, and quality.
✅ Ripe coffee cherries are usually red.
✅ Bourbon coffee can sometimes be yellow.
✅ Under-tree coffee appears deep red.
🚫 Green cherries mean unripe coffee—not ready for harvest.

Vietnamese coffee trees bloom only once per year, so the harvest happens every 10 months. But cherries ripen unevenly, requiring farmers to carefully hand-pick ripe ones while leaving green cherries for future harvests.

Of course, in a world where speed equals efficiency, workers often prioritize quantity over quality, leading to some green cherries being picked unintentionally. Over time, I've learned to accept this reality, knowing that perfection in coffee harvesting is a continuous journey rather than a single, flawless act.

Freshly pulped coffee beans spread out on an elevated drying rack in Vietnam, allowing for optimal airflow and flavor preservation. — Freshly pulped coffee beans drying on an elevated rack—maximizing airflow and ensuring a clean, well-preserved flavor profile.

From the Farm to Your Cup

Each stage—from hand-picking and processing to roasting and brewing—is an art that requires dedication. HuyEco Coffee is more than just a farm—it’s a commitment to sustainable, high-quality coffee production.

Through years of trial, error, and passion, we've learned that truly exceptional coffee isn't made in a factory—it’s crafted on the farm, shaped by nature, care, and hands that understand its delicate journey.

☕ Taste the Difference with HuyEco Coffee

Experience coffee grown with love, harvested with care, and roasted to perfection. Browse our Sustainable Coffee Collection and support ethical farming in Vietnam.

📌 Internal Links

📌 Learn more about organic coffee processing 2024 - 2025
🔗 Read more about organic coffee processing at HuyEco

📌 Experience farm tours at HuyEco:
🔗 Explore HuyEco’s eco-friendly coffee tours

📌 How small-scale farmers sustain agriculture:
🔗 Sustainable farming techniques for small-scale coffee farmers

📌 External Links

📌 Report on organic coffee & fair trade:
🔗 Fair Trade Coffee Organization - Sustainable farming impact

📌 Insights from sustainable coffee organizations:
🔗 Rainforest Alliance - The future of sustainable coffee

📌 Research on regenerative agriculture benefits:
🔗 Regenerative Agriculture Report - Organic farming benefits

All articles, images and videos in this article are copyrighted by HuyEcovn, please do not use for other purposes.
In case you want to use the materials for non-profit community purposes, please contact the author at email address: huyeco1125@gmail.com
Sincerely