Maycol Soriano, Finca La Balastrera

When I was little, I played hide and seek in our plantation.…

With friends mostly, because my siblings are significantly older than I. It was the greatest game of the world, because when you’re so little the rows of plants just seem to go on and on forever, and there are like a thousand places to hide from your peers.

My grandparents started the finca and my father took it over twenty years ago. He taught me all the ins and outs and although I do not want to pretend that I’m an expert, I have been learning since I was a child and now I would be able to run the farm on my own. But thankfully, my dad is around and we work together every day. I wouldn’t want to do this without him, at least not for many, many years to come.

In fact, there’s too much work even for two people, but we can ill afford to hire help, except of course during harvest time, when it’s buzzing with people here. I enormously like what I do. True, it’s hard work and I rarely get a day off, but why would I even want a day off if I’m happiest when I’m on our finca, in the middle of all that beautiful nature, and a peaceful environment. I may make less than someone in an office with a fancy job, but I bet that I have more freedom, and I’m at least as happy. Growing coffee is nice nowadays, growing coffee is cool again! 

Farm facts

Our farm spreads out over 11 hectares and is located at an altitude of 1350 meters.

We mostly grow Pacas, but we also have IHCAFE 90 and Parainema.

There’s never been a big need to plant trees because we have abundant natural shadow. Some of it comes from pine trees, but cypresses are prevalent and there are also other trees that have been growing on our land for decades.

Our coffee is FTO certified.

This farm is Rain Forest Alliance certified.