Fazenda Pinhal is a 914-hectare farm situated close to San Antonio De Ampoaro in Sul De Minas. The farm belongs to the Gabarra Teixeria Family who acquired the farm in 1994. The farm is only planted with 296 ha coffee (33% of the farm) with the rest of the land been left with natural reserve, Eucalyptus Forest and pasture land for cows.

In 2019 the farm won the award for Brazil's most sustainable coffee farm and in 2019 they installed solar panels which now supplies 100% of their energy usage.

On the farm, they have also started a bird sanctuary to help rehabilitate and care for injured birds and have coordinated research programs with the local universities and student thesis.

The welfare of their employees is very important to them with providing dental care plans in 2018 and now researching with a local university on ways to make the working environment more sustainable for their employees and preventing occupational injuries.

This coffee is a pulped natural where the cherries are mechanically harvested before then being sorted for the ripe and over ripe and green. The ripe cherries are then pulped removing 100% of the mucilage. These coffees are then taken to the patios where they are dried for 7 - 10 days with regular turning.

Although not common, along the highlands of El Salvador, we sometimes find individual female coffee producers that strive to produce outstanding coffees and sustain their families. All these women and their coffees deserve to be known. We are proud to say that La Joya coffee is a community blend that represents and showcases the coffee that are being produced by these female coffee growers. They have proven to be strong, passionate, and nearly always more organized in terms of their farm management when compared to their male counterparts!

The name La Joya, or the jewel in English, honors one of the most important archeological sites of Mesoamerica, la Joda de Cerén. This World Heritage Site was discovered by accident in 1976 and it represents a journey throughout the Mayan history and culture in Central America. It showcases the meaning of life of this precolombian culture.

Mustefa Abakeno, a dedicated smallholder farmer in the Jimma Zone of Western Ethiopia, manages an extensive 18-hectare farm located at an impressive elevation of 2,040 meters above sea level. His farm is a testament to the rich coffee heritage of Ethiopia, featuring a diverse array of coffee varieties sourced from the esteemed Jimma research center. Mustefa's coffee processing methods artfully blend tradition and innovation to create exceptional coffee beans.

At the beginning of his endeavour Mustefa purchased a three discs Coffee Pulper, this was used to enable him to process half of his harvest as Fully Washed coffees. The other half undergoes the natural process, where cherries are carefully dried with the fruit pulp intact. However, due to water scarcity and limited fermentation space, the pulped coffee experiences a concise eight-hour fermentation period before being skillfully transferred to drying beds. The outcome of this rigorous process resembles a light honey in flavor. In contrast, the naturals enjoy a more leisurely drying period, taking 24-27 days to reach perfection on the African (raised) beds.

In 2018, Mustefa embarked on his journey as an exporter, benefiting from regulatory changes that allowed him to engage directly with discerning buyers. To facilitate this endeavor, he established the "Beshasha" wet mill, a versatile facility processing both his coffee and that of local outgrowers. These outgrowers, Mustefa's neighbors, collectively oversee land parcels ranging from 4 to 10 hectares.

Mustefa's partnership with the Falcon team in Addis Ababa exemplifies the potential for enhancing coffee quality through direct relationships. This collaboration spans various facets of coffee production, encompassing cherry selection, drying, and farm management. It also streamlines the supply chain, ensuring that a significant portion of the proceeds directly benefits the producers.

In 2021, the addition of agronomist Harun to the Falcon team marked a pivotal moment. Harun's primary focus during the most recent harvest season has been the training and support of Mustefa and local farmers who supply cherries to the washing station. His efforts have led to numerous improvements at the washing station, including the installation of shade netting to protect drying beds during the hottest hours of the day. Cherry selection at the delivery point, tagging day lots for separation, and vigilant monitoring of moisture levels during drying ensure uniform drying before lot assembly.

Mustefa maintains a small field lab, equipped with a high-spec Sinar moisture reader acquired in 2020. This device ensures that all parchment dried in the stations reaches a consistent moisture level before storage in the warehouse. Harun takes charge of assessing and grading dried day lots, categorizing them based on quality and cupping profile. In parallel, he imparts training in good agricultural practices (GAP) to local farmers, with the aim of elevating the quality and productivity of their coffee gardens.

Notably, Mustefa's commitment to excellence extends to infrastructure development. He has constructed a modern warehouse in Agaro, impeccably equipped for milling Natural processed coffees. This investment underscores his dedication to refining and enhancing coffee cherry processing to meet the highest standards.

In a significant move during the 2022 off-season, Mustefa acquired four additional purchasing sites: Echamo, Jarso, Badeyi, and Saadi. These sites serve as crucial collection points, where cherries are meticulously selected and purchased from neighboring farmers. The cherries procured at these sites are subsequently transported to the two main processing stations, Beshasha and Kabira, where Mustefa's exacting standards and coffee processing expertise are consistently applied.

This strategic expansion not only fortifies Mustefa's capacity to source exceptional coffee cherries but also reinforces his role as a catalyst for community development within coffee-growing regions. Through these initiatives, he contributes to the economic well-being of local farmers and the preservation of Ethiopia's esteemed coffee heritage.

Mustefa Abakeno's journey remains a source of inspiration, characterized by an unwavering commitment to excellence and an unrelenting pursuit of quality in coffee production. His dedication to innovation, quality, and community support embodies the essence of the coffee industry's ongoing evolution and growth.

Elvis Reinerio Tineo Rafael is a second-generation coffee producer who owns land in the El Diamante area of Jaen. Elvis himself owns 3 hecatres of land, which is planted with bourbon, caturra and catuai and sits at an altitude of 1750 to 1900masl. Elvis and his family work the land together, coordinating their picking, processing and drying and sharing their facilities. Over the last few years Elvis has been investing in improving the quality of his coffee, improving the quality of picking and experimenting with pre-fermentations and different fermentation methods. Elvis has participated in the Cup of Excellence competition many years in a row, consistently scoring in the top 25!

This coffee is a mix of caturra and catuai varieties, which were picked, washed and floated before being macerated in the cherry for 16 hours.

After the maceration period the cherries were pulped and fermented in sealed grainpro bags for 2 days under shade. The coffee was then dried under shade for 15 days.

El Diamante

El Diamante is one of the closest coffee producing areas to the city of Jaen and therefore has a huge cooperative presence, at least in the lower elevations. We work with a couple of coffee producing families in El Diamante, who have farms from 1600 to 2000masl. The main varieties grown in the medium altitudes is catuai and castillo, and at higher altitudes it is all bourbon, caturra and typica. El Diamante is one of the few areas in Jaen to have protected forests, which are home to a variety of flora and fauna native to the region. Not only that, there are also many water sources that supply much of the water to the city. This thriving natural environment creates a beautiful setting to grow coffee, but also contributes to the richness and stability of the soils in the area. The cup profile of the coffees in this area is very distinct, with a heavily fruited cup and a pronounced acidity.

Doga Coffee, located in San Lorenzo at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level, is a family-run farm owned by the Madrigal Vargas family. Approximately 20 years ago, Kenneth and Cristian purchased Finca La Pacaya and began cultivating Catuai coffee. The farm is known for producing some of the best coffee in the Tarrazú region, utilising processes such as Natural Anaerobic, Full Honey, and Black Honey.

During the harvest season, the farm employs 10 workers, while in the off-season, it retains 3 employees. The farm spans 10 hectares, with a yield of 43 kg per sack for natural processed coffee in the recent harvest. However, coffee production faces several challenges, including the high cost of agricultural inputs, which has risen significantly post-pandemic while coffee prices have remained stable, leading to reduced income. Additionally, the fluctuating exchange rate has impacted the financial returns, as fewer colones are received per dollar. Climate change has also presented significant challenges, introducing more frequent pest infestations and plant diseases.

Looking ahead, the farm plans to renew its coffee plantation by pruning 4 hectares in 2024 to make way for new plants, aiming to increase productivity and competitiveness. They plan to cultivate exclusive lots of varieties such as Geisha and Pacamara. Doga Coffee has also been recognised for its sustainability efforts, winning the Green Growth program by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Agency and the ICAFE's Green Innovation contest, which honours practices that reduce water use and eliminate coffee waste pollution.

Coffee processing involves harvesting fully ripe cherries, which are then left to rest overnight at the micro-mill before being spread on African beds and drying patios the next morning. The drying process, which takes about 20 days depending on the weather, is manually monitored to ensure uniformity. Once dried to the optimal humidity level, the coffee is stored in sacks and GrainPro bags for about two months before being prepared for export.

Water use in coffee production is minimal, mainly for atomising the plants and washing equipment. The farm has implemented a zero-water method for wet processing, reducing water use by 98%. Pest and disease management depends on weather conditions, utilising shade management and rotating plant varieties for resistance. Biological products like Trichoderma fungi are used to protect the soil, and monthly plant sampling helps control pests. Fungicides are applied as necessary, and measures like drainage and terracing prevent soil erosion.

Doga Coffee ensures 100% traceability from cultivation to export, with complete control over every stage of the process, from collection to storage and preparation for export. Besides coffee, the farm also grows bananas, guavas, and various fruit trees, providing shade and food for local wildlife.

Despite the financial difficulties faced by the coffee sector in Costa Rica, the Madrigal Vargas family remains committed to maintaining high-quality coffee production. The farm has taken out new agricultural credit lines to continue operations, with plans to repay these over the next five years, despite the economic recession and fluctuating exchange rates. The farm's resilience and dedication to quality and sustainability continue to drive its success in producing premium Tarrazú coffee for the world.