María Norma Solorzano, Fincas Los Naranjos + Las Casas

Twelve years ago I could finally start to build my own home. Apart from working in my own finca, I also picked beans for other coffee growers, cleaned their fincas and prepared their harvest for six years. I never stopped working but after those six years of hardship I had saved $ 3,500 and was able to buy enough bricks and cement to start building.

Now, my three adult son and one daughter live in the US and last year they sent enough money for me to finish the home where I still live with my three smallest children. I no longer work on other peoples’ fincas, but instead dedicate all my time to my own small piece of land. 

When I was young girl, I worked on the land with my dad. My grandparents had started growing coffee, but they focused mostly on animal herding, whereas my father decided to invest all his time and efforts in coffee cultivation.

I followed in his footsteps, I part because growing coffee is the only thing I learned very well, but also – thankfully – because working the land and spending time in my fincas is simply what makes me happiest. The climate is fantastic all year round, I feel incredibly free because I’m always outside in nature where the only thing I hear are the singing birds. It’s peaceful and I can organize my own days as I see fit. 

Well, it’s not all paradise of course. The working days are long and during the picking season I can hardly ever take a rest. After the leaf rust hit us in 2012 it’s been hardship financially as well. That’s why I feel so fortunate that I have now learned to harvest the best coffees, during the second round. My daughters and I pick the beans together, only the ripest ones, all uniform in color and taste. 

This is what allows us to obtain a significantly fairer price, but it is also what fills us with pride: knowing that now, people in faraway countries can enjoy a really great cup of our coffee. 

My girls and I will continue to focus on growing and selecting the best beans for you, as it is a win-win. You can make your clients happy, and we can pay our bills!

Farm facts

The land is divided between two small finca’s that total 0,7 hectares.

Varieties are IH-café 90 and parainema. Since 2019, also 50 plants of Anacafé 14, a Guatemalan variety that is particularly resistant to leaf rust.

There is abundant shadow from a multitude of trees: bananas, plantains, mango, plum, avocado, papaya, orange and lime.

One finca is located at 1,260 meter and the other at 1,490 meter. Both are Fair Trade and Organic certified.

This farm is Rain Forest Alliance certified.