The location where a coffee is cultivated is often a defining characteristic. This is certainly true for coffee grown in the region that surrounds Antigua, Guatemala. But contrary to what might be summed up with a location, there are many nuances to this community lot from the Antigua region, which was cultivated on small family-owned farms and transported to the Finca Medina wet-mill for post-harvest processing. Finca Medina works directly with a select group of farmers who have a shared commitment to care for their farms and the environment. Finca Medina helps these producers gain access to technical support regarding best practices for farm management, RFA certification, and cupping feedback, which helps farmers improve the quality of their coffee. With no infrastructure for post-harvest processing at the farms, Finca Medina provides a centrally located collection point where farmers can easily deliver their cherry. From there, the cherry is transported to the Finca Medina mill where the cherry is floated to remove less dense and damaged coffee before depulping. Depuled coffee is fermented in tanks for up to 36-hour. When the coffee is washed, water is well managed and properly treated. Wastewater and pulp are converted into compost and returned to the farms to amend the soil. Next, the coffee is gently dried on patios for a period of 2 weeks to 11 percent moisture. To prepare the coffee for export, Finca Medina uses its own dry-mill where dried parchment is dehulled and sorted with gravity beds, screens and an electronic color sorter. The result of this model of collaborative effort, between farmer and vertically integrated exporter, produces a traceable community blend with a vibrant and clean regional profile.
