Jamaica Blue Mountain JAH

The 400ha farm called “Jah B Estate” is located in the picturesque mountain side of the famous Blue Mountains near St. Thomas and has an extraordinary history to tell. Whereas other settled farms in the region have a long lasting coffee family tradition to look at and an established reputation, the dedication to professional coffee cultivation of Jah B estate is quite recent. The farmer of the Estate, who is called “Jah B” himself, inherited 2010 a run- down farm of his uncle not knowing where his efforts would lead to. It was together with the support and hard pioneer work during 3 years of two ambitious young men from Germany that made it possible that Jah B ´s fine coffee could finally find its way beyond Jamaican borders in 2014. The name Jah B gives expression to the owner´s belief in the Afro – Carribean spirituality of the Rastafari. The name is taken from Ras Tafari: The title “Ras” (=Ethiopian title for prince) and the first name (Tafari Makonnen) of Haile Selassie I before his coronation. Jah is a Biblical name of God so most adherents see Haile Selassi as Jah Rastafari, the Messiah. In their daily life – based on mainly Hebrew dietary laws – Rastas avoid food which is chemically modified or contains artificial additives. Therefore, as a convinced follower of this personal philosophy, Jah B transfers this faith also to his coffee trees and does not use any pesticides and chemical fertilizer. Eating mostly what is grown on his fields Jah B also plants banana, lime, mango, akee, breadfruit, avocado and jackfruit. The coffee plants grow unshaded but benefit from the cloudy and misty climate the nearby forest provides.