Daniel de Jesús, Fincas El Desvío and Amaya Romero

My brother and I work together, sharing much of the workload, and my whole family grows coffee. Coffee is what keeps us going. A first cup first thing in the morning to re-energize us after an often too short night, and of course, selling the coffee as a crop provides a source of income. In fact, I can build my house with the income from my farm.

It's hard work, but it's also very relaxing in its own way. Physically, I'm usually tired at the end of the day, but my head is clear and at peace after a day working the land. I don't feel much stress or anxiety, except sometimes during harvest season. But that's only natural; there's such a frantic hustle and bustle during those three months, and so many things need to be finished every day.

For the other nine months, I can work at a somewhat more relaxed pace, and the stress disappears. What worries me most during those months is the possibility of coffee rust, as this disease can have a devastating effect on the health of my plantation and, therefore, also on the health of my bank account. The situation is already quite precarious, given the low coffee prices, and we can't afford any more setbacks.

I'm delighted to be a member of Cafesmo, as the organization provides me with a platform to offer my coffees, and through it I can propose microlots. I could never do this on my own; I would lack the resources and skills. The same is true for Fair Trade and Organic certifications, which a small, individual farmer can never afford, but which I can now proudly say I am a member of, thanks to Cafesmo.

My dream? To grow the farm enough to become a stable source of income for my daughter in the future, and then for her own children.