The Farm
Romelia Sanchez is a powerhouse of a woman and the farmer behind our new Guatemalan beans. In 2006 she bought a farm that used a portion of its land to sell a small amount of coffee and turned it into a successful business with an annual production of 270 quintal (30,240 lbs) and named it Paraje La Florida. Romelia is a skilled farmer and businesswoman who has her sights set on a bigger and brighter future, working to employ new farming techniques while still caring for the people and plants around her.
Settled in the highlands of western Guatemala (Santa Barbara, Huehuetenango) La Florida grows the varietal Caturra and its parent, Bourbon, alongside her other successful crops, avocados and peaches. This coffee is a washed process that, once pulped, undergoes a 24 hour fermentation. The beans are then spread out on a concrete patio to dry under the sun and rolling clouds that are characteristic of the region.
