OUR COFFEE
The farm
La Huerta, where the coffee is grown and harvested, and the site where the coffee is processed, are located in the small village of Cruzpamba (Celica, Loja) in the south-eastern Ecuadorian Andes.
The coffee plantation is located in a temperate forest ecosystem at an altitude of 1150 meters above sea level. In this area there are two distinct climatic seasons: the rainy season (from January to May) and the dry season (from June to December). The temperature varies between 14 - 26°C throughout the year. Due to these specific climatic conditions, we carry out one harvest per year, producing a seasonal coffee that relies only on natural rainfall.
Our small, family-owned farm is managed by several members of the family, and workers from the local community. La Huerta, where the coffee is grown, covers 3.6 hectares and is comprised of two plots of land that were specifically chosen because of the high fertility of the soil which is fed, maintained and protected by several species of leguminous plants, timber trees and banana palms. These provide an important layer of organic material which enriches and maintains the natural fertility of the soil, preserves humidity and protects the soil against erosion. The trees grown for shade protect the coffee plants and native species of birds. This combination of coffee plants and other trees is called an agroforestry system. The natural conditions of La Huerta are optimal for the production of high-quality coffee and provide a favourable agro-climatic environment for the production of Arabica coffee.
Sustainability
One of our main aims is to increase and maintain the natural fertility, stability and biodiversity of the soil. To achieve this, we have adopted sustainable methods of production. We use natural resources responsibly, taking advantage of the biodiversity of the environment and following traditional practices which aim to conserve, promote and improve the health, biodiversity and biological activity of the soil. We follow up-to-date recommendations and techniques in the use of organic phytosanitary products in order to control pests and diseases. We do not use any agrochemicals that are harmful to the environment and both the weeding and selective harvesting are done by hand. Throughout this process of integrated management, we continuously strive to limit any deforestation or environmental pollution.
The processing
Our main priority is the quality and taste of our coffee. We chose to use the natural (or dry) and honey processing methods because they produce coffee with an especially pleasant taste and aroma. We also wanted to avoid the environmental pollution caused by the large amount of waste and toxic water produced by the wet method.
The family is closely involved in the management of the processing and quality control in order to ensure the production of a high quality coffee cherry. From the moment the ripe cherries are picked, to the moment the green beans are bagged, we carefully follow a strict series of processes relating to the harvesting, processing and drying of the coffee. These practices are a complex set of operations, which transform the ripe fruit (cherry) to a dry seed.
The first stage of our process involves selectively harvesting each individual coffee cherry by hand and then separating them according to their density. To do this, the harvested cherries are placed in a flotation tank where the high-density cherries sink and the low-density cherries float. The low-density cherries float to the top and are removed and dried in a separate facility as they contain low-density beans that did not develop well. These cherries lack flavour and sweetness and therefore do not meet the standards of speciality coffee. To avoid waste, we sell this coffee locally or enjoy it ourselves! The high-density cherries on the other hand are considered to be of good quality. These are removed from the tank, sorted by size and taken to a poly-tunnel, which has plastic mesh walls that allow the cherries to be dried naturally by the heat of the sun and the natural circulation of air. Inside the poly-tunnel the cherries are separated according to their size and density and placed on raised beds. The cherries from the microlots and nanolots are moved frequently (every two hours) to ensure that they dry uniformly and to avoid fermentation and the proliferation of fungi. Both the harvesting and the drying are done during the dry season when there is eight hours of intense heat per day.
For the resting period, the dry cherries are placed in a storeroom with optimal conditions for the storage of coffee in a subtropical climate, thus preserving the product throughout this period (which lasts two to three months). Our main objective at this stage is the maintenance of quality. For the de-husking of the dry cherries we use a processing system from the well-known Brazilian brand Pinhalense. This system consists of three machines that perform a number of functions. Firstly, the pre-cleaning machine removes any debris or impurities from the dry cherries. Once cleaned, the cherries are then deposited in the hopper of the threshing machine, which husks the cherries at a cold temperature (the cherries are not heated at all during the threshing process). The threshing machine has a circular oscillating tray that separates the un-peeled cherries and returns them to the cylinder of the machine to be re-milled. The peeled cherries are then transferred to the size-grading chamber and finally the graded beans are passed to the densimetric table to be sorted by density or weight. The final product is the green coffee bean ready for roasting.
Our objectives
Our ultimate goal is to produce high-quality seasonal speciality coffee for the enjoyment of our consumers, and to reach a market that recognises its quality and gives it the value that it deserves. To this end, we have implemented scientific and technical processes, standardised by national and international organisations, such as the Speciality Coffee Association, which promote and guide small-scale producers to produce specialty coffee of the highest quality. This includes the use of processing methods that reduce negative environmental impacts, improve biodiversity and improve the living conditions of our workers and producers. We work continuously to ensure that our coffee complies with quality, legal and corporate standards as well as our consumers’ requirements. Using specific production processes from the farm to the cup, that guarantee a drink of exceptional quality, we know we can satisfy the expectations of the most discerning consumers in both Ecuador and abroad.
