Volcan, Beef instead of Coffee

Today we spent most of the day in Volcan with the Berards, and while we were looking forward to seeing the farm, and spending the first real nice day in Panama in the coffee, that didn't happen.  The day started off well, with a small cupping of five Santa Teresa coffees.  Given the 3 days each of the coffees had on them, they showed really well.  They had hoped to have more coffees for us to cup, but given that there has been no power in the Volcan area for 3 days, it just didn't come together.  Talking to Mr. Berard today, he said that the winds up at the farm were blowing at speeds over 140kms per hour.  In short, my joking about a mini-hurricane was closer to reality than I first thought.  The devastation at the farm was staggering, as we looked at pictures later at the Berard's house.  What was luscious green hills of coffee last year, is now barren twigs.  The mill's roof was torn off and there are trees all over the farm.  So rather than drive up to the destroyed coffee farm, we went to see the Berard's beef operation.  Given my farming history, and Tim's history with his families ranch in Kansas, it was a fun day.  I am not sure that Chad was really all that excited about the unique breeds of cattle.  It was amazing to see the detail with which the Berard family manages their beef farm, and it reminds me a lot of their coffee farm.  I hope today was a bit of a distraction for the family with us and the cattle, where they could take their minds off of all the work that they have to do back at the mill and in the fields.  Tomorrow we fly back to Costa Rica, and then on to El Salvador.  The weather should be better in El Salvador, and we will truly enjoy meeting the farmers there.  Just a quick side note; we also know that Costa Rica was also hit very hard with the brutal weather.  The micro mills in the West Valley of Costa Rica, places we have now been, were rocked by winds and rain.  These small farmers have lost much, and we will know more as the week progresses.  Having said all of this, I am hoping that some of us back at home can mount a bit of a fundraiser to assist these very small farmers in getting back on their feet.  The people of Central America are so warm and hospitable and I feel that it is the least we can do in their time of need.