In Peru the bulk of coffee production comes from small farms owned and managed by people who follow organic farm management practice attuned to their cultural connection with the land. Producers typically cultivate coffee on just a few acres of land intercropped with shade trees, bananas, corn, and beans. They carefully harvest and sort cherries before depulping, fermenting, washing, and drying the coffee using their own micro-mills. While producers design farm management and post-harvest solutions to fit their needs, they also need a strong alliance to bring their coffee to the international market and earn fair prices. Aroma del Valle, an organization established to assist small producers access the specialty coffee market carries out activities that often go unnoticed but are crucial for small producers. Investments for basic infrastructure needs, like road improvements, establishing local warehouses, and preparing coffee for export are all coordinated through Aroma del Valle. This particular lot was harvested by Alejandro Condeso Coello, who processed this micro-lot on his 2.5-acre farm called la Palta located in the community of Las Mercedes near San Ignacio in the Cajamarca region. Alejandro has his own micro-mill where carefully harvested cherries are depulped, fermented, washed to remove the mucilage, and then gently dried on raised beds over a period of 18 days. While Alejandro has designed farm management and post-harvest solutions to fit his needs, he also has a strong alliance with Aroma del Valle, which takes his coffee to the international market where it earns a fair price. Alejandro has been able to pay for his three children to attend school with the money earned from coffee.
