The mountain slopes of Finca San Jose are shaded by trees that help maintain and preserve the crop and the surrounding environment. In addition to the multitude of plants, the farm is home to a variety of wild animals and birds that can be seen in their natural habitat.

More than 7 families (and growing!) live on the farm earning their livelihood from working the land. There are 10 full-time workers and many more seasonal workers who aid in the harvest process. In total, between 60-75 people work on the farm.

This is the fourth consecutive year that San Jose has participated in the Cup of Excellence, always reaching the stage of the international jury. This year, with great faith and a strong belief in the quality of their product, the farm won with a sample taken from an 8.4 hectare area.

On Finca San Jose, coffee goes through an extensive process of quality control in addition to being grown under standards that qualify it as specialty coffee. The farm is located at an altitude above 1,400 meters (above sea level) and the coffee is 100% Bourbon cut at the peak of its ripeness and grown in organically rich clay soil. The people who cut the coffee have extensive experience and share a commitment to growing a superior quality coffee as owner Gloria Rodriguez personally supervises every stage of the process.

Gloria considers the principal reason behind her success to be her faith, not only in her coffee but also in the Cup of Excellence. She believes that the reputation and prestige of the event will allow her to stand out in international markets and the economic benefits will allow her to reinvest in the farm, impacting the people who toil in the fields and maintain the quality of the production chain from seed to cup. Gloria hopes to be able to generate and maintain a long-term relationship with her buyers and from this relationship she hopes to be able to reap benefits for everyone.

Barefoot Coffee bought the entire 2007 COE lot and fell in love with the coffee and the family that runs the farm. In early 2008 we traveled to El Salvador to visit farms and to build closer relationships. We spent a great deal of time with Gloria and her daughter Maria and grew to appreciate their passion for coffee and quality. While eating fresh turtle eggs at dinner we shook hands on an agreement to purchase their entire harvest of Finca San Jose for 2008 at a price 50% higher than Fair Trade. This was before the 2008 Cup of Excellence award. We then spent two tense months negotiating with importers to help us bring this coffee in to the U.S. Eventually we succeeded in convincing Kayd Neil from Elan Organics to add it to a container she had coming from El Salvador! We would finally get our lovely Finca 408 coffee! And Barefoot just made an agreement to buy the entirety of their harvest from now on as long as quality levels are exceeded. So we will have this great coffee for many years to come. Barefoot entered into a long term contract to be the sole buyer of all of the coffee the Finca San Jose produces.

Country: El salvador
Region: Apaneca-Ilamatepec Mountain Range
City: Apaneca, Ahuachapán
GPS Coordinates:
Latitude: N 13º 52’ 52.3’’
Longitude: W 89º 48’ 24.5’’

MICROCLIMATE

Altitude: 1400 masl (4200 feet)
Average temperature C: 17 (F: 68)
Annual rainfall: mm: 1900
Type of soil and predominant element: Sandy-loam
Relative humidity %: 60
Type of shade trees: Ingas: pepeto, cuje, and frut trees.
Beginning of harvest: January.
End of harvest: May

FARM PROFILE

Farm Size: 13.30 Hectares
Coffee growing area: 8.4 Hectare
Variety: Bourbon
Mills in the farm: Wet mill, fully washed
Drying method: Sun-dried patio
Annual production (69 K): 35 bags
Temporary Employees: 70
Permanent Employees: 10
Mill and company where lot was processed: El Molino, JASAL S.A. de C.V.
Other crops: Mango, Orange and avocado trees
Fauna: Armadillo, gray fox, agouti, pocket gopher, magpie, turquoise, etc.
Certifications or awards: 21st in the 2008 Cup of Excellence and 10th place in the 2007 Cup Of Excellence
Importer: Elan Organic