The Finer Details

Legacy In Coffee

Alma Julieth Castro's journey in coffee production began 34 years ago, when she and her husband shared a vision of creating specialty coffee. Working side by side, they immersed themselves in every aspect of farm management, with Alma gaining deep expertise in all processes along the way.

When her husband passed away in 2011, Alma chose to continue pursuing their shared dream. She has since dedicated herself to improving the farm's processes and infrastructure, steadily enhancing their coffee quality. Her hard work has paid off – today, she takes pride in establishing new commercial relationships that allow the farm to thrive and grow with each passing year.

The farm has become more than just a coffee plantation. Together with her stepchildren, Alma has embraced environmental stewardship, incorporating practices like shade tree cultivation and responsible wastewater management. Their farming practices adapt to nature's rhythms. To manage the heavy rainfall, the team conducts maintenance every two months using scythes and bush knives, applying herbicides only where strictly necessary. The main harvest runs through May, June, and July, with careful attention paid to optimal picking conditions – they monitor each cherry's Brix degrees (targeting 14° to 22°) and pH levels (maintaining above 4).

Post-harvest, their process is equally methodical. The cherries are pulped and fermented for 18 hours, extending to 22 hours during particularly rainy periods. After three washing cycles, the coffee rests in fique bags for 8 days – a duration currently limited by their storage capacity, but managed carefully to maintain quality standards.