As October’s golden light filters through the misty canopies of Upcountry Maui, the island awakens to the subtle symphony of fall; rustling koa leaves, cooler breezes carrying the scent of ripening fruits, and the distant call of native birds heralding the harvest season. At Kupa’a Organic Farm, home to Maui Chocolate and Coffee Tours, this transition from summer’s vibrancy to autumn’s warmth is a celebration of the land’s enduring bounty. Our tours, rooted in sustainable farming practices since the farm’s establishment in 2003, invite you to immerse yourself in the rhythms of cacao and coffee production. This month, we’re highlighting the serene beauty of October’s farm life, where every bean tells a story of resilience and flavor, perfect for those seeking a mindful escape amid Maui’s timeless landscapes.
Nestled on the volcanic slopes below Haleakalā, Kupa’a Farms embody regenerative agriculture at its finest. Our organic cacao groves, comprising rare Criollo and Trinitario varietals, draw sustenance from the rich, mineral-laden soil formed by millennia of lava flows. This unique terroir yields beans with layered profiles: bright citrus highs from the morning sun, deep chocolate earthiness from afternoon shade, and a lingering floral whisper from the evening dew. Complementing these are our heirloom coffee plants; SL-28, Catuai, and Typica; interplanted with native understory for natural pest control and enhanced biodiversity. Shade-grown under towering koa and ohia trees, they produce cups that are exceptionally clean and balanced, free from the bitterness of monoculture farming. October’s milder weather enhances these qualities, allowing for gentler fermentation processes that amplify the beans’ inherent sweetness, resulting in chocolates and brews that capture the essence of Maui’s fall harvest.
This month, our standard tours evolve with the season, offering deeper dives into harvest techniques and flavor explorations tailored to autumn’s palette. Begin with a guided walk through the cacao orchards, where you’ll learn the art of pod selection—identifying the perfect ripeness by the subtle color shift from green to golden yellow, a skill honed over generations of Hawaiian farmers. Crack open a fresh pod to taste the mucilaginous pulp, a tangy-sweet prelude to the bean’s transformation. Our experts demonstrate the on-farm processing: sun-drying on raised beds to prevent mold, followed by roasting in small-batch solar ovens that harness Maui’s abundant sunshine, minimizing energy use while preserving volatile aromas.
Transition to the coffee fields for hands-on harvesting, plucking crimson cherries by hand to ensure only the ripest make the cut; a labor-intensive method that supports fair wages for our local team and yields superior quality. Witness the wet-milling stage, where depulping machines powered by gravity-fed water from our rainwater catchment system separate the fruit from the seed, followed by fermentation in shaded tanks for 24–48 hours. This controlled process develops the coffee’s acidity and body, drawing out notes of stone fruit and toasted almond that pair exquisitely with our chocolates.
At the heart of every tour lies the tasting pavilion, an open-air lanai overlooking the farm’s verdant expanse. Here, we guide you through a curated flight of pairings that celebrate October’s harvest themes. Start with our signature Harvest Moon Blend a medium-roast coffee from our Typica plants, featuring malty caramel and ripe pear undertones, sourced entirely from this season’s crop. Pair it with Autumn Orchard Bark, a 65% cacao slab studded with dehydrated Maui-grown apples and a touch of cinnamon from Upcountry spice farms. The apple’s tart crispness tempers the chocolate’s richness, while the coffee’s warmth bridges the two, evoking the comfort of a fall orchard stroll.
Elevate the experience with the Volcano Shadow Espresso, a dark roast pulling smoky oak and dark berry from our Catuai varietal, roasted just a shade longer to mimic the embers of a cooling lava flow. It harmonizes beautifully with *Harvest Spice Truffles*, infused with ginger and cardamom from local spice gardens, their warming notes echoing the coffee’s autumnal depth and adding a gentle, aromatic lift to the bold brew.
We weave in educational insights throughout, explaining the biochemistry of flavor development: how Maillard reactions during roasting convert amino acids and sugars into those irresistible roasted notes, or how polyphenol antioxidants in cacao contribute to the mood-lifting effects often felt after a tour. Sustainability threads every moment—from our zero-waste policy (composting all pulp into fertilizer) to partnerships with local schools for youth farming programs, ensuring the farm’s legacy endures.
October tours run daily from 9 AM, lasting 2.5 hours, with small groups of 8–10 for an intimate experience. Conveniently located just 30 minutes from Kahului Airport. Whether you’re a solo traveler journaling the nuances of single-origin beans, a couple rekindling over shared sips, or a family introducing young ones to food’s farm origins, our tours foster connection, to the land, to each other, and to the profound aloha that infuses every aspect of Maui life.
Don’t let October’s fleeting harvest pass you by booking your tour today and savor the slow magic of Kupa’a Farm. As the days shorten and the stars sharpen, there’s no better place to ground yourself in flavor and story. Mahalo for joining us in stewarding this slice of paradise.