Grenada first week

Belmont estate has historically grown a great deal of agricultural products, and we were greeted at the beginning of the tour by a table set out with an impressive array of spices, fruits, and nuts grown on the estate. We soon met our marvelous tour guide, Anthony, who it turns out is a third generation estate worker, born and raised right there. He was patient with our many questions, as he was pressed rather constantly for specifics regarding quantities of cocoa beans processed, how the organic beans are certified and separately processed. Evidently, most of the cocoa grown on the island today is processed at the estate, including all of the organic chocolate used by the Grenada Chocolate Company. We were lucky to see beans actually fermenting this trip, rather than just having the process explained to us.

First, the raw cocoa beans, still covered in their sweet, slimy goo, are moved through a sorting bin where excess water filters out slats in the bottom, and foreign objects are removed from the top. The beans are then weighed and the farmers paid for their product. An enormous mound of beans are moved into the first wooden bin, right next to the weighing scale, where they are covered with leaves which are in turn covered with burlap. The beans sit while their outer layer of sugary goo begins to ferment, which lends a yeasty smell to the whole area. As the fermenting process continues, the batch of beans are moved to the next bin, where progressively turn browner and furment further.

After they move down the entire row of bins, the beans are ready for drying.

They are then placed on large, wooden drying racks which can be pushed under a roof in the event of rain.
This is only the beginning of a laborious process, as the beans need regular turning to ensure they dry properly and completely. This is accomplished by scooting one's feet through the drying beans, first lengthwise, and next time width-wise.

The red piles in the back of the photo are drying mace.

On the rest of the tour, we saw some old equipment, most of which is not in use any longer. They were sorters, and alternative ways of drying beans.

We also learned where cocoa dust comes from...and what it's made into. (Cocoa balls.)

Mmmm. At the end of the chocolate tour, we were handed over to a young man named Kelly, who seemed to be learning the ins and outs of tour guiding. After it was clear that the video he was charged with running did not work, we moved straight away to the tasting! We could choose from Grenada Chocolate Company chocolate options of dark or super-dark. A great morning pick-me-up.

It came to light that the "museum" Noga had learned of was...not quite open. It was still not exactly set up yet.

After expressing our disappointment, Kelly - ever ready to please - invited us into the not-open-to-the-public museum. Inside, we were dazzled by a wide array of national treasures. Some items in the museum were carefully set up and displayed to their best advantage. Many others, however, lay scattered or squirreled away in a great mass of boxes. Below are some photos of the treasures that are not yet on display.

Above is one of the Estate's historical cocoa ledgers, this one dates back to 1952, when cocoa was being sold at 48 cents a pound.

The chair in the photo, above right, has a wooden seat, which lifts up to reveal a commode!

The documents that we discovered in some of the varied boxes were the most informative and amazing pieces of history we came across. On the left is a photo of a document dated January 29, 1981 from Maurice Bishop, Prime Minister of the People's Revolutionary Government. The letter, or draft letter, is largely a report on Party activities, various "comrades" recommended for various party positions, and updates on the legal situation. The document on the right is a photocopy of an address made by Prime Minister Eric Matthew Gairy "At Midnight Flag-Raising Ceremony, Thursday, 7th February 1974, To Usher in the New Independent Nation."
Our young tour guide accomplice, it turned out, had a rich and intimate knowledge of revolutionary preparations and happenings, as his father was integrally involved in the planning and initial stage of the revolution, before he fled with his family to Trinidad for fifteen years to avoid the retribution exacted upon Maurice Bishop. It was fascinating to hear his perspective and learn about many of the colorful persons working together to create what they envisioned to be a more just government.

The estate also has a case full of enchanting Amerindian clay artifacts. Grenada's soil is rich in a reddish clay.

Outside the future museum, the grounds are beautiful and sprawling.

Finally, we sat down to a leisurely and fantastic lunch. We enjoyed cocoa tea, local juice, soup, a buffet including salad, veg, chicken, beef, and fish, and a dessert...all for a great price. A super adventure!

On the drive home, we passed by Noga's favorite bar, which was regrettably closed as we meandered back home. Fortunately, we were, nevertheless, blissfully happy with our day's discoveries and our very full bellies from the day's activities.