Finca La Rivera
As another lakeside morning in Guatape kicked-off with a cup of Mosca del Fuego and a fresh fruit bowl, we ventured to the small mountain town of El Penol. In the outskirts, our guides’ Renault meandered along the serpentine, mountain roads until a small, unassuming sign appeared, indicating that we had arrived.
We descended into what I hope we never take for granted - the typical latin american, family-owned coffee farm. I swear there is just something to these places that weave almost ancient practices with family, agriculture, and individual innovation often driven by necessity and a drive to provide. The flash of foreign birds, and smell of healthy Earth only add to the entire experience.
We met with the Marin family where we shook weathered hands and exchanged greetings in Spanish. The patriarch of the family - Miller - lead us across his finca, meandering through the trails between healthy, rich coffee trees.
After a brief and beautiful description of the life cycle of the coffee plant, we climbed up his hills - cerros - to pick ripe fruit and explore more of his farm.
One of the most unexpected treasures of Colombia is how local people just grab your kids. In our sterilized, safety-obsessed, and bland culture this would be frowned upon. But here, among the cackle of chickens and little kids free ranging in the trees, Miller’s wife scooped Arlow up, tossing her on her back, helping her pick coffee. It still takes a village in rural Colombia and the way people just bond with your kids is really quite breathtaking. It also serves as a sad reminder of what has been lost in so called “developed” societies. My quotes cannot be big enough.
Sra. Marin totes our daughter across their farm in Antioquia, Colombia.
Sr. Marin led us to his immaculate processing rooms. We observed him as he demonstrated his depulping machine, drying beds, and trilladora as well and his ingenious method of blowing the parchment - pergamino - from the prepared coffee. An old Electrolux vacuum whirred to life, blowing a stream of air onto the stream of coffee as he poured them from one bucket to another. The parchment will be swept into a bucket, and will act as food for farm animals, or compost.
After our tour, we gathered in the main seating area and enjoyed some of the family’s coffees. As we sipped, I knew something needed to happen. I wanted to buy green coffee from him. The most direct form of trade I can imagine. We discussed a price, which I hope was more than he had hoped. We shook hands and we both took to the same processing rooms where the tour had now turned into work. We cleaned the coffee, weighed it, and he put my order into a bag which we will send home as luggage.
I am so incredibly excited to bring this coffee back to Tennessee, to roast, and to share more information about this wonderful family. We continue to pledge for direct trade, more-than-fair pricing for these hard working families, and to make lifelong friends in the process.
Wilder and his friend Justin climbing fruit trees on the finca.
Our children continued to run around, climbing trees, and making confused faces as their Spanish speaking friends tried their best to communicate. It was awesome to see the kids all playing together. Language was no barrier.
After pesos were counted, we gathered for a final photo, sealing our business deal. The woven bag of coffee - enough to roast 2 batches back home - was tossed in the back of the Renalt, and we returned to our casa on the lake in Guatape.
A HUGE thanks to our friends Amanda and John Michael of Abakua Tours for making this trip happen! And, to John Michael for carrying my coffee up the road to the car!