Sourcing Details
It's pretty special when a large cooperative, with amazing infrastructure built for the collective efforts of many farmers, also has the ability to celebrate individuals within the organization. This natural processed micro-lot is cultivated by Lucia Sanchez Benavides and processed by one of our perennial partners, Cafe de Altura de San Ramon, which owns and operates a state-of-the-art mill designed to receive cherries from small farms and add meticulous processing.
Processing Details
Cherries harvested from Lucia’s 20 hectares farm called Finca Inmobiliaria San Juan, are taken to the Cafe de Altura de San Ramon mill where they are placed in a tank designed to separate less dense and damaged coffee. Next the selected cherries are placed in piles to extend the fermentation process for 24 hours. Then the cherries are placed on raised beds to gently reduce the moisture to 10.5 percent, which takes about a month to complete. After drying, the coffee is rested for a period of at least a month and then milled for export with a series of machines dedicated to dehulling and sorting green beans by weight and color. With every detail of the post harvest operation covered, Lucia can turn his full attention to farm management practices with a special emphasis on sustainable practices, which include intercropping citrus and avocado trees on the farm.
Cooperative Activities
Cafe de Altura has an equally intricate model for carrying out social responsibility in the coffee communities. In particular, 2.5 cents of every pound of coffee exported is used for programs that support the community. Funds are invested in preventative health care brigades and reforestation campaigns, and also go directly to help families with medical emergencies.
