Jesús Humberto Mena, Fincas El Peñon and Las Brisas

While my parents grew some coffee for our home consumption decades ago, I myself started cultivating coffee around 1985, determined to make an income out of it. I’m very proud of my finca, and I really love to work the land…

It’s a great way to maintain my health and vigor, and I also like the fact that I am actually producing something tangible, something that I can see, and even drink. My wife and I bring our beans to the small town of Mercedes, where someone roasts them for us, and we drink our own, trusted and delicious coffee throughout the year.

My wife doesn’t work on the land with me though. She’s the lady of the house and cooks meals for the pickers during the harvest. And when there are no pickers, I go home every day to share lunch with her. We live only a stone’s throw away from our finca. 

We have six children but all of them have traveled to the United States, one after another, in search of better lives, and now they are all gone. It’s a harsh and painful truth; I don’t like to talk about it. But I think of them every day. We have no internet or cell phone coverage in the area where I live, so it’s also difficult to talk to them. 

I’m glad that I joined Cafesmo because the quality of my coffee has notably improved. Jaime, the Cafesmo agronomist, has given me lots of advice. Prices have also become more attractive, mostly thanks to the Fair Trade and Organic certificates that I now carry. I also received two days of workshops in Cafesmo to learn how to prepare specialty coffees, but I haven’t produced any micro-lots yet. I still don’t have all the required knowledge I think, and I’m also unable to find enough time during the high season, when I have a zillion other things to do. But who knows what the future will bring! 

Farm facts

0,9 hectares of well-developed land, and 0,7 hectares to be further developed. Both plots between 1,130 and 1,240 meters.

Varietals Catuaí and Lempira.

There are some avocado and banana trees, but most shadow is provided by local trees like guamo and pepete.

The finca is Fair Trade and Organic and RFA certified.