Bells Coffee Mines

Bells Coffee Mines is out in Hsokeri Village, which is part of the Arekad Post area in the Kodagu district. People call it Coorg mostly. We are a bit tucked away, so you really have to be looking for us to find the place. The "Mines" name is just something we’ve always used, it doesn’t mean we are digging for gold, just working the land for coffee. The village is small and everyone knows everyone. It’s a beautiful part of the country, very green and hilly. We spend our days out in the fields or in the sheds. It’s noisy during the processing season with the machines running, but the rest of the year it’s very peaceful. The air smells like damp earth and coffee blossoms when they are out. We have to deal with the wildlife too, which can be a bit of a challenge sometimes. The weather can be tough, especially when the rains don't stop for weeks. We just keep going. We aren't fancy people. We wear our old clothes and work hard. It’s a simple life. We have our coffee in the morning looking out over the hills and then we get to work. It’s what we’ve always done. We don't need much else besides a good crop and a little bit of sun. Sometimes we talk about the future, but mostly we just focus on the harvest that’s right in front of us right now.