october: santa clara, las lajas
Santa Clara (100% Bourboncillo):
Country: Guatemala
City: Antigua
Altitude: 1,600 – 1,830m
Variety: 100% Bonboncillo Dwarf Bourbon
Processing: Fully Washed and dried on patio
Owner: Zelaya family
'Very clean, juicy and vibrant with a honey-like sweetness and notes of apricots.'
The Zelaya family has been growing coffee for over 100 years and four generations. This renowned family owns farms throughout Guatemala and grows one of only a handful of genuine 'Antigua' coffees (coffees grown in the Antigua valley area bounded by three volcanoes – Agua, Acatenango and Fuego). Finca Santa Clara is located on the fertile southern slopes of the Volcán de Agua in the Antigua Valley at 1,600-1,830 metres. The farm has been managed since 1988 by Ricardo Zelaya, the 4th generation of the Zelaya family to produce coffee at Santa Clara.
The Zelaya family is passionately committed to both quality and sustainability. The family's farms are scrupulously well managed right from the careful selection of varietals planted, to the close supervision of the dry and wet mills. The coffee is shade grown which protects the plants from direct sunlight, maintains soil health, and provides an important habitat for birds and insect life. The family's mills are also eco-friendly. The water used in the wet processing of the cherries is drained into sedimentation tanks to prevent pollution of the local river systems and the pulp is transformed to humus by worm culture.
Santa Clara won 3rd place in the first Guatemala Cup of Excellence in 2001. The farm was again recognized amongst the winners at Cup of Excellence in 2009 where it finished in 21st place. Santa Clara is also a founding member of APCA, the 'Genuine Antigua Coffee Producers' Association'.
Las Lajas (Honey Processed):
Country: Costa Rica
City: Foothills of the Poas Volcano, Los Angeles
Region: Sabanilla de Alajuela, Central Valley
Altitude: 1300 – 1500m
Variety: Caturra and Catuai
Processing: Honey processed
Owner: Chacón Solano Family
'Lively and fruity with balanced sweetness and notes of strawberry.'
The Chacón Solano Family has been growing coffee at Las Lajas for over 80 years. The current generation, headed by Oscar and Francisca Chacón, began farming organically around 30 years ago and in 2000 became one of only a handful of farms in Costa Rica to be officially certified organic. The family strives not only to farm in an environmentally and socially responsible way, but also to produce coffee of the highest quality.
Las Lajas is located at 1,300 to 1,500m in the foothills of the Poás volcano, in prime specialty coffee country in the Sabanilla de Alajuela region of Costa Rica's Central Valley. This lush, fertile area is characterised by heavy and regular rainfall of around 3,000mm for 150 days of the year.
The farm produces 100% Arabica coffee, of the Caturra and Catuaí varietal, which is grown in the shade of native trees. Organic composts are produced on site using vermiculture (worm composting), and the production process is entirely free of chemicals and agro-toxins.
The harvest starts in December and runs until February. The cherries are selectively handpicked, to ensure that only fully ripe and good quality cherries are collected. These are then processed at the farm's state-of-the-art micro mill, where the cherries are pulped using an ecological 'dry' pulper and a mechanical demucilager, saving thousands of litres of water in the process. The parchment is then sun dried on African beds and patios. All of the leftover coffee pulp is recycled and used as fertiliser on the farm.
The Chacón family's hard work and tireless attention to detail was recognised in the 2008 and 2009 Cup of Excellence competitions, with the farm placed in the top 25 both years.
