WHEN I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD, MY GRANDFATHER TOOK ME TO OUR FINCA ONCE TO PICK COFFEE. OR ACTUALLY, HE BROUGHT ME THERE TO PLAY, BUT I INSISTED IN HELPING HIM AND ‘WORK’…
Now, thirty years later, this finca is mine and I still pick my own coffee. But I’m also a Q grader since 2013, and I’ve been on the juror panel for ‘cup of excellence’ during eight years. That was a great experience and allowed me to specialize in the flavors and particularities of Honduran coffee profiles.
But as soon as I started to study to become a q-grader, I also decided to try preparing micro-lots, and I’ve been doing that for almost a decade now. In my finca, I have a small part that I keep for bourbon beans. It’s very plague sensitive so it’s a risky variety and not necessarily a commercially viable or wise choice. However, I insist in keeping it because it allows for spectacular results with more complex micro-lot preparations and I keep most of that coffee for myself and friends.
I also roast it myself; my wife and I started a small coffeeshop and roastery some years ago. These additional activities provide a more stable and diversified source of income.
Growing, preparing, and roasting coffee is like an art for me. I feel very fortunate to do my work in the entire chain; from growing and preparing coffee all the way to roasting, serving, and of course drinking it: I’m an active and happy participant in each step.
My next step is to become an ambassador of Honduran coffees for international visitors and people who are interested in learning more about the fabulous varieties and processes that we work with here. Thanks to my strong connection with Cafesmo, I am now starting to work with importers and roasters from different countries and continents. It’s an exhilarating idea to be able to transmit and share my knowledge with them, while at the same time I learn a lot of exciting stuff from each visitor as well.
Farm facts
My farm is 3,5 hectares and it’s located at 1,400 meters in a shady zone.
The varieties are almost exclusively Parainema and Pacas, although I keep a tiny plot for Bourbon because of the fantastic micro-lots this variety allows me to prepare.
The coffee is FTO certified, although I mostly sell micro-lots.
This farm is Rain Forest Alliance certified.
