San Francisco
Praline, chocolate, apricot
 |
Tarrazú |
 |
1,750 meters above sea level. |
 |
Caturra & Catuai |
 |
Washing |
 |
Edgar Fallas & family |
Balanced and sweet San Francisco from the Central Mountain Range of Costa Rica
The San Francisco estate is located in the district of the same name, San Francisco, in the “Cordillera Central” also called “The Zone of the Saints.”
This farm is owned by Edgar Fallas Solís, his wife Ligia, and their son Willian. The family owns between 10 and 12 hectares of coffee, interspersed with avocados, citrus trees, and bananas.
The farm is divided into different plots that culminate between 1,400 and 2,000 m.
Edgar is the second generation to work on this 55-year-old farm originally planted with Caturra and later incorporating Catuai and Catimore.
They obtain seedlings from the national research center ICAFE. Currently, the fertilization plan is 50/50 organic and chemical, but Edgar would like to make it 75/25.
Protecting the environment is very important to him. Many biodynamic techniques are used on the farm (garlic, chili, intercropping, etc.).
Edgar is very aware of climate change and the need to adapt his agriculture.
During the high season, 15 people work with the family helping with the harvest.
Edgar and his family are members of Asoproaaa Coop, where micro-batches are processed to ensure quality and consistency.
Biftu Gudina's coffee is processed using the washed method. Once at the washing station, the beans are hand-sorted, and any unripe or overripe beans are discarded before being passed through the Penagos eco-pulper (this machine helps reduce excessive water use). The beans are then soaked for approximately eight hours. The cooperative's wastewater treatment relies on a natural form of filtration through a plot of vetiver grass before passing through wells and finally into the soil. The beans are then sun-dried for 10 to 14 days on raised African beds and carefully hand-sorted again.
The family measures the sugar content in the cherries using a Brix meter to know when to harvest (between 21 and 28, depending on the variety being harvested).
Willian, Edgar's son, trained for four years in brewing and is now competing, even winning a national championship.
Willian knows a lot about the coffee chain and coffee quality and will take over the farm when his father retires.
Asoproaaa is an association with 1,000 members, but only 300 are coffee producers (the other 700 are part of the association's other programs: citrus, livestock, etc.).
The average size of small-scale farmers' farms is 5 ha for a production of 50 quintals (46.5 kg of green) per ha.
The cultivated varieties are mainly Red & Yellow Catuai and Caturra, but also Typica and Geisha.
The association is an important agricultural center for small producers in the region and provides them with access to credit.
Members don't need to bring all their coffee to the cooperative; Asoproaaa specializes in micro-lots and secures the best lots in the region, paying premium prices.
Biftu Gudina's coffee is processed using the washed method. Once at the washing station, the beans are hand-sorted, and any unripe or overripe beans are discarded before being passed through the Penagos eco-pulper (this machine helps reduce excessive water use). The beans are then soaked for approximately eight hours. The cooperative's wastewater treatment relies on a natural form of filtration through a plot of vetiver grass before passing through wells and finally into the soil. The beans are then sun-dried for 10 to 14 days on raised African beds and carefully hand-sorted again.
Brix measurements are taken before coffee processing and help the team make decisions about how to process the process. African patios and beds are used.
Drying stops when the coffee reaches a stable moisture content of 10.5%. Threshing takes place on the farm itself, and the bags leave the warehouse only when they are ready for export.
Despite this year's drastic reduction in production, Asoproaaa benefits from low competition and its excellent reputation among farmers.
Therefore, they have maintained their volume this season. The lower grades obtained after sorting are roasted and packaged for sale to the local market.
The association has run a housing program for the past 15 years, building more than 1,400 houses for the community's neediest residents.
Biftu Gudina's coffee is processed using the washed method. Once at the washing station, the beans are hand-sorted, and any unripe or overripe beans are discarded before being passed through the Penagos eco-pulper (this machine helps reduce excessive water use). The beans are then soaked for approximately eight hours. The cooperative's wastewater treatment relies on a natural form of filtration through a plot of vetiver grass before passing through wells and finally into the soil. The beans are then sun-dried for 10 to 14 days on raised African beds and carefully hand-sorted again.
