Today we are privileged to meet possibly the most famous cacao farmer in the world. My first glimpse of this Peruvian was on Anthony Bourdain's show "Parts Unknown" several years ago when I was just an armchair traveler. Don Fortunato holds the distinction of possessing the Mother Tree on his property. I don't know all the science here, but according to Brian and Dan's website, "This tree possesses DNA identical to the genetic marker of Pure Nacional found in the 5,300 entry, world genetic database. Ok, let's get on with it.
Here is Don Fortunato. My first impression of this man is his quiet humility. After some introductions, he grabs a few cacao pods and begins to slice them open to show us his prized crop. He knows exactly what we're here to see. Here he is posing with a couple of Chubby Chipmunk/Marañón Chocolate bars which are formulated from his own beans.
With his machete, Don Fortunato skillfully taps the blade into the soft cacao pod, turning it around in his hands until the entire circumference has been cut. Next, he pulls the two halves apart, revealing the delicate white, fruity pulp which surrounds the cacao beans inside.
On his farm, Don Fortunato plants a variety of organic crops, including mango, coffee, cacao, sapote, and banana to support healthy soil, proper crop maintenance, and a diverse multi-story, multi- crop ecosystem. According to Brian, it's the way farming should be done.
Even the chickens look happy!
This is Milly, Don Fortunato's granddaughter. A sweet little cherub with an adorable smile.
Dan Pearson ambles down the path to the cacao grove in his patched-up silver Timberlands, thanks to the indispensable twentieth century marvel: duct tape.
Brian educates us in the ways of cacao farming with his usual charm and hands on experience.
This is what you look like after drinking too much cacao juice.
Rosie & Monkey - the real world equivalent of Calvin & Hobbes.
Brian slices through a cacao pod to reveal the secret bean color ratio. I’m still not sure what Brian is wearing on his hat. I’m guessing it’s a GoPro, but for what purpose? Theft deterrent? Vlog? Poor memory? NSA spy? Blackmail? I guess I will never know…
On average, there is a 40% white bean to 60% dark bean ratio. This creates a desirable and complex flavor profile.
We begin by following Don Fortunato though his cacao grove and up a hill. Chip is leading the way, then me, followed by Shelly. As we soldier on, the underbrush gets increasingly more dense along with steep terrain. At one point, Chip picks up an unwieldy branch for some unknown reason, and nearly pokes me in the eye as I'm following close behind, trying to navigate a path meant for a small squirrel.
Meanwhile, Don Fortunato is somewhere way up the hill, slipping effortlessly through this bramble of twigs and leaves like a greased pig. We finally hear other members of our group to the right, just up an embankment. We all change direction and head into the light - and meet Brian casually walking along a well defined trail, free of any trees or bushes.
"What are you doing in there? That's the hard way," he informs us.
"Following Don Fortunato!" I reply, exasperated. The image above is the moment we break free of our thorny prison.
Still sweaty, but having a marvelous time in the jungle.
Doesn't this feel like an old european romantic painting you had to learn about in Art History class? Well, it's just Don Fortunato's cow waiting for the tourists to leave.
There's no shortage of beautiful skies to photograph here. Just be careful of that scorching sun!
Here is where it all began - the Mother Tree. Seated next to Don Fortunato are Seth and Chip Tautkus, founder of Chubby Chipmunk Chocolates.
The Mother Tree was first discovered by Noe Vasquez just a few years ago. He's kind of a cacao-savant, noticing subtle shape differences in the pods, the leaf structure, the way the trunk branches, things only he can see.
As we all arrived on the scene, Brian was dumbfounded, as he had imagined this tree was written off due to some health problems. The tree had some radical trunk surgery and wasn't expected to live, but in the last year it miraculously grew back and was sprouting a cacao pod from the old trunk, not to mention a few from the new canopy.
Burros are a common site here in the campo. Farmers like Don Fortunato use burros all the time to transport beans from the grove to the house or highway, a collection point, or goods from the nearest town. Burros are essential to daily campo life, along with mules and horses.
I always feel a little weird about shots like this, as I'm behind glass in fast moving van, shooting rapid fire, hoping to get a glimpse into an authentic Peruvian neighborhood, as the locals curiously stare back at our fancy Mercedes Sprinter Van. Obviously not from around here.
Part of me feels like a spy, stealing their likeness, their being, their soul... without permission. The other part of me says, "That's what street photography is all about. Man up already!" It's an ongoing debate, about what is ethical or moral in terms of shooting a subject without getting their approval. For now, I'll do whatever I can do to get the shot, depending on how brave I feel at the time.
One thing that was hard to miss about these towns was the ever present political campaign slogans painted on every surface of every building we passed. Apparently, the locals are fine with this, as it provides them with a free paint job on their houses and businesses. Quite often, they won't even be supporting the candidate being advertised. And those slogans will remain up until the next election when they will be painted over with the new candidate's logo.
My initial impression about this practice was that is was very ugly and ruined any architectural charm that may have been there to begin with. But that's just my ethnocentric judgement coming through. Afterall, it is a free paint job!
One more thing: Voting is compulsory in Peru with an 83.72% turnout rate in the last presidential election. If you fail to vote, you are fined. The maximum fine is 76 Soles, or about $23. Also no consumption of alcohol a couple days before and after elections.
Now it's time for some pretty pictures that make you feel like you're riding off into the sunset. FULL DISCLOSURE: These photos have undergone a few post processing tricks in Photoshop. There. Now you know. I'm going for an emotional feeling and specific aesthetic quality, rather than a literal depiction here. Ok, on with the show…
Don Fortunato's farm.
