Aristides Santos, Fincas La Peña and Las Lomas
My father died 50 years ago, when I was young. However, I still remember how he cultivated a few coffee plants, just for our family's consumption...
We never worried about quality, and we didn't even take care of the plants. The beans were often picked early because we were all eager to get back to drinking coffee as soon as the harvest started, and we always roasted it in a pan in our wood-fired oven. Things have changed since then.
I started growing coffee myself only 25 years ago, long after my father passed away. I decided to switch from my other crops to coffee because the others yield even less money. With coffee, I can only cover my basic needs, such as food, drinking water, a pair of shoes now and then, and medicine when my wife or I need it.
Until five years ago, I worked on my farm every day, but I felt no love for it. Not for the plants, not for nature, not for anyone, really. I was a distant and cold person. But somehow, I couldn't say why, there was a spontaneous and dramatic change in 2016. Since that day, I've felt an incredible love and passion for what I do. It's not ambition, but something deeper and more genuine.
I am immensely grateful for every day I work on my farm. I love my plants and everything that surrounds them, and after each day, however physically demanding it may have been, I return home to my family filled with joy and well-being.
I don't have great material needs, but I would like to save some money for my old age. Hell, I'm already 71 (note: as of August 2021), and many people my age are no longer working. Besides, I almost always work alone. My two sons immigrated to the United States illegally a long time ago, and now they send money when they can to support my wife and me. Their financial help also allows me to hire some workers during harvest season when I can't handle all the tasks myself.
Interestingly, the quality and consistency of my coffee have increased significantly with the support and advice Cafesmo has given me since I became a member, and a young roaster from the Netherlands bought ten bags of my best beans in 2021.
I'm delighted; I certainly didn't expect to sell coffee directly to someone, especially someone so young and so far away, at my advanced age. However, this sale has made me enthusiastic about quality control and microlot preparation, and it also feels rejuvenating. All the more reason to keep working on this in the coming years.
Property details
The combined size of the two plots is about 4 hectares , and both are situated at around 1,540 meters with abundant shade: pines and plane trees, as well as local trees such as guamo, liquidambar, and apple trees.
The varieties are Pacas , Parainema and Obata .
The farm is certified as Fair Trade and Organic and RFA .
