Tomassa Ramírez, Farms Las Flores and El Naranjo

My mom left me with a lady from her neighborhood when I was only six months old, and I never saw her again.

I do not know who my dad is. I feel very fortunate that this lady took care of me very well and slowly turned into my new mother, and I am thankful to her forever.

We were very poor, so poor that I had to start working in a coffee farm when I was only seven years old. But that’s also how I was eventually able to start working for myself and that’s what I have been doing for the past 25 years. Now, I own 1,4 hectares of land and it’s at a very high altitude: 1,800 meters.

That’s lovely, not only because the climate is so delightfully cool here, but also because it’s a better location to mitigate the effects of climate change and to grow high quality coffee.

Shadow is a requirement here to grow coffee, despite the altitude, simply because the sun is so strong and straight up in the sky. I grow avocado trees, lime, lots of bananas and plantains too. Also trees that I sometimes cut down for the stove. It gets really chilly or even cold up here, especially in the winter at dawn when I get out of bed.

I love to work my land, and I love being alone. Well, I did raise eleven children but they are now all adults and no longer live with me. Two of them died, but the other nine are now all independent. Being alone and working on my own has brought me more inner tranquility. I’m surrounded by trees, plants, nature, singing birds, and lots of peace.

To stay connected with other people, I joined our local village committee. We hold regular meetings to organize small events for the villagers, or to defend our interests as a group within the municipality. Improving access to potable water, improving roads, education, and so many other things that we need.

So, I keep busy, between my land, preparing great coffee, the neighborhood, and my many children whom I dearly love!

Farm Facts:

1,4 hectares at 1,800 meters.

Varietals: Pacas, Parainema, Lempira, IH-Café90.

Shadow provided by banana trees, plantains, lime, avocado…

Certified Fair Trade, Organic, RFA