Celebrating a Milestone: The First Mini-Harvest at Vanilla Paradise Nevis
A Momentous Occasion
We recently celebrated a significant milestone at Vanilla Paradise Nevis - our first mini-harvest! This was a momentous occasion for us as it marked the culmination of months of hard work, dedication, and the invaluable guidance of our expert mentor, Bertrand Côme, who traveled from La Réunion to guide us through the process firsthand. This was Betrand’s second visit to Vanilla Paradise Nevis and you can read more about it in our recent post here.
We were very excited as we gathered around the vanilla vines in the shade houses as the moment had finally arrived to carefully pluck the ripe vanilla beans, ensuring they were harvested at the peak of perfection. Take a look at the short video to see how the experts do it!
Patience and Dedication: Keys to Success
Bertrand's expertise shone through as he shared his insights on the signs that signal the start of harvest. "The pod is good to harvest when the top becomes yellow like this," he explained, pointing to the golden tip that indicated the beans were ripe. Under his watchful eye, we selected each bean at its peak, preserving its delicate aroma and flavour. But here’s the secret: patience. Bertrand emphasised that quality blooms when we seize the moment—harvesting at just the right time. If left to ripen too long, the bean will split, and the aroma will float away on the breeze.
Harvesting with Precision
As we carefully harvested our beans, we couldn't help but marvel at the beauty and complexity of nature's bounty. It’s incredible to think that each pod held the promise of exquisite flavour and fragrance, a testament to the meticulous care and attention lavished upon our vanilla plants.
With each bean gathered, we celebrated not just a harvest, but a testament to the collaboration between nature and human hands. Our journey at Vanilla Paradise Nevis is just beginning, but this first mini harvest marks a significant step forward on our path to sustainable, organic vanilla cultivation.
Looking Forward: Towards a Flourishing Future
The harvest was small, some 100 beans, but it was a big start for us! We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who have joined us on this extraordinary journey.
We look forward to next spring when we should have flowers on all our vanilla vines, to be harvested nine months later – a real harvest since then we will know that Vanilla Paradise Nevis has truly flourished.
