Efraín Reyes, Finca Las Barrancas

We are located right on the border and for them it was easier and more attractive to sell to our "neighbors", since they could get a little more for their grains.

Today, the situation has changed. It's considerably more difficult to sell Honduran coffee in El Salvador due to increased regulation, but Honduran coffee has also improved significantly in quality and, consequently, in price, especially over the last decade. As a Cafesmo member, I deliver my lots to Cafesmo's wet mill, and Jaime, our head of specialty coffees, is always excellent at selecting the best lots from my harvest to create a great microlot.

I have been growing coffee for 25 years and have quite a bit of knowledge, but I trust Jaime more when it comes to those special small lots, as he has learned a lot for it and prepares dozens of lots each year for other partners as well.

My wife and I have six children, and we both work together. We only own 0.8 hectares of land, so we can combine our individual strengths and qualities. My cousins ​​also help out sometimes, especially when it comes to keeping the farm clean between harvest seasons.

On our plot we have some citrus trees, such as oranges, limes, and lemons. We use the fruit for our own consumption, and the trees provide much-needed shade for the coffee plants, which shouldn't be exposed to the tropical sunlight all day long.

Since I work six days a week, usually from six in the morning until sunset, I don't have much free time. But I enjoy what I do, and when I'm not working, I love playing with the children or simply relaxing to recharge for the next day. My life is quite nice.