Zen and the Art of Drying Naturals

Welcome to the Arrocera Drying Patio in the township of Compostela, Nayarit. All cherries from La Yerba and Huaynamota eventually make their way here to finish the drying process under the plentiful sunlight of Compostela and to take advantage of the vast patio space available. The property was originally a rice processing facility some number of decades ago. Today, it mostly sits unused except by Grupo Terruño Nayarita during the coffee harvest season. 

Drying naturals is tricky business. We know that slower drying, especially during the first 24 hours, is crucial to creating fruity, full-bodied naturals. ⠀

In the afternoon, the dried cherries are covered up like so with burlap sacks. This both homogenizes the lot and serves as a control on the rate of drying. Lastly, one must rake naturals every hour under the sun to ensure a consistent rate of drying for every cherry in the mix.