Arístides Santos , Fincas La Peña and Las Lomas

My dad died 50 years ago, when I was a young man. I still remember though how he used to grow some coffee plants, just for our own family’s consumption…

We never cared about the quality at all and never even really looked after the plants. The beans were often picked prematurely because we were all looking forward to drinking coffee again as soon as the harvest started, and we would always roast the coffee on a skillet in our wood oven. Things have changed since then, hah!

I myself only started cultivating coffee 25 years ago, long after my father passed away. I decided to change my other crops to coffee because the other crops bring in even less money. With coffee, I can just cover my basic needs, like food, clean water, a pair of shoes now and then, and medication when my wife or I need it.

Until five years ago, I worked in my finca every day, but I felt no love. Not for the plants, not for nature, not for anyone, really. I was a distant, cold person. But somehow, I wouldn’t know why, there was a spontaneous and dramatic change in 2016. Since that day, I sense an incredible love and passion for what I do. It’s not ambition, but something more profound and more genuine. 

I am immensely grateful for every day that I work on my finca, I love my plants and everything that surrounds them, and after every day, not matter how hard it was physically, 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 day. Heck, I am 71 as it is (note: in August 2021), many people my age no longer work at all. On top of that, I work mostly alone. My two sons migrated to the US illegally a long time ago, and now they send some money when they can, to support my wife and myself. Their financial aid also allows me to hire some workers during the harvest season, when I cannot possibly tend to all the tasks at hand alone. 

Interestingly, the quality and consistency of my coffee has significantly increased with the support and advice that 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 thrilled; I certainly had not expected to sell coffee directly to someone, and someone so much younger and so far away, at my advanced age. This sale has made me enthusiastic though about quality control and micro-lot preparation, and it feels rejuvenating too. All the more reason to keep working on this in the years ahead!

Farm facts:

The combined size of the two plots is around 4 hectares, and both are located around 1,540 meter with abundant shadow: pine trees and banana, as well as local trees like guamo, liquidambar, manzano.

The varieties are Pacas, Parainema, and Obata.

The farm is certified Fair Trade and Organic and RFA.