I’ve had a decent understanding of soil health, built up over time by visiting farm after farm and talking to farmers. But seeing somebody actively maintain the balance needed for truly healthy soil by influencing shade and heat and moisture and sun exposure makes you realize that it’s just as much art as it is science. That it’s both a technical skill and one that benefits from intuitive wisdom.
I’ve never been a detail obsessed coffee connoisseur, but I’ve definitely grown a lot more interested in discerning flavor profiles. I respect how it’s always a reflection of the delicate balance of the land where it was grown.