Our Farmers

Ethiopia https://www.oromiacoffeeunion.org/about-us/ocfcu/

OCFCU is a democratic farmer owner coop that is over 20 years old that works exclusively in the Oromia Regional State. This region is more than 65% of the country’s coffee growing land. The members operate under the principles of the International Cooperative Alliance and Fair Trade. Member farmers process and supply high quality organic Arabica coffee for direct export.

 

Kenya

Small farm owners organized into the local coop grow this coffee on their home farms. Crops are interplanted for shade and added crop incomes. Coffee provides these families with the funds to pay school fees and provide for their families.

 

Guatemala

Mario Roberto Sosa was born in 1927 and began working at the age of 12. When he was 20, he purchased a truck and started a local transportation business before marrying Raquel Lopez and raising 7 sons. Mario and Raquel began growing coffee in 1966 and in 1972 established Los Laureles II. They planted the farm with traditional cultivars for the area- Pache, Caturra, and Bourbon. Maragogype and Gesha were added and most recently, Anacafe and Marsellesa have been planted alongside avocado. These crops have unique flavor and characteristics which means a more diverse range of buyers interested in the coffee. At 95, Mario is still very much on the farm, supervising the care of the trees and the harvest with the support of his sons.

 

Nicaragua http://lospinosfarm.com/

Los Pinos is located in Aranjuez, Matagalpa next to the Arenal reserve. It’s a
group of family farms totaling 55 hectares of coffee run by Byron Corrales, a man
of true passion and a renowned personality in the Central American coffee
community. The farm is certified organic and is combined with areas of planted
forest to improve water retention and various agricultural products. The average
annual production is 7 containers. It has a comprehensive water management
system and fertilization system that uses a combination of coffee waste, manure
from cows kept on the farm and minerals found on the farm for micro-nutrients.