Rosalío & Elizabeth Ventura, Finca Elizabeth

My father recently died, he was 102 years old…

I am convinced that he lived that long because he has always done what he was passionate about, until the end of his days: grow, love, and drink coffee. I’m almost seventy now myself and I feel alive and kicking. If I’m fortunate enough to live as long as my father did, I still have 35 years of joy ahead of me!

My father started to grow coffee on his own land in 1951, the year before I was born. During decades, we tried to have as high a yield as possible, to increase our income. But in 2011, for the first time, I sold a micro-lot for three dollars, to a roaster in the US who trusted me. It was but the first step in what would slowly develop into a fantastic friendship, and a great partner.

In fact, in 1979, the Honduran government had sent me to Costa Rica for three months, to participate in a course about coffee growing, and I have been a teacher for years after that. Little by little, I taught myself the best techniques to prepare specialty coffees, and I started building solar dryers and patios, to dry coffee according to the weather conditions and the preferences of my partners.

Later, I started to build dryers that have small openings on the bottom, as well as along the upper side. It allows somewhat fresher air to enter, then move upwards while it becomes warmer, and disappear through the openings on the upper side. This allows for a subtle current of air and a more precise regulation of the temperature and humidity, for I can also close openings if need be.

I have been preparing specialty coffees for more than eight years now, and have learned to diversify between washed, semi-washed, natural, honey red, yellow, and black. The preparations that I focus on are the various honey lots and natural, for I think those offer the richest flavors and the most interesting variations.

Because I have a 5,5-hectare farm and because I mostly focus on specialty preparations, I’m able to offer a wide choice and also able to partner with a dozen roasters in different countries. That way, I can build personal, long-term partnerships with each of them, and propose to each of them exclusivity for their specific lots and markets. Through CAFESMO, I’m able to send my coffee all over the world.

Let me know if you want to know about coffee, it’s all I talk about!

Farm facts

5.5 hectares of well-kept plants on two plots.

One plot is located at 1,360 meter, where I grow Parainema and Icatú. The second plots at 1,550 meter, with Parainema and Obata.

Both plots are FTO certified and shadow is provided by natural pine forest mostly.

This farm is Rain Forest Alliance certified.

Where there is no forest, I focus a lot on citric trees: tangerine, orange, lime. When the fruits fall, they share their citric flavor with the surrounding coffee plants through the roots. It’s an explosive, rich taste, almost provocative.