85.50

Maria Helena Werner, born in a family of farmers in the region of Realeza, in Manhuacu - Minas Gerais, had to give up of his property - the lands previously occupied by Santa Helena farm - for the production of coffee could continue at that location. In 2000, his son Alexander Luiz Marques, lover of the natural beauty of the woods and a waterfall found in the mountains, gave a new name for the remaining of the property, which became known as Fazenda Cachoeira Alta”. The farm was sold to Geraldo Antonio da Paixao, that, driven by optimism and confidence of his son, wanted to increase the area of only 20 hectares of land to plant coffee. Alexander continued involved in the production process at the farm, occupying the function of general manager of Geraldo Antonio’s properties, whose coffee plantations now extend for about 100 hectares of land between the mountains of Matas de Minas. The development of coffee plantations in the Cachoeira Alta Farm is done in a sustainable way. A large green area that has water springs, streams, riparian areas, and a wealth of fauna and flora, is preserved on the property. The employees are legal, which assures labor rights, and they come with their families, about 30 people, who live in houses with water infrastructure, electricity and sewage, built on the property.

Coffee processing system

The harvest is manual, spreaded over a cloth and placing the beans in bags of linen to prevent fermentation and consequent loss of quality coffee. Once harvested, the coffee is transported to the farmhouse, through the pulping and transport on trolleys, separated by type, to the terraces, where are spreaded in thin layers to dry. The processing structure on the property consists of washing, pulping, drying, processing machines and yards.

Commitment to quality

The producer of Geraldo Antonio da Paixao sought to form new crops with selected seeds and seedlings, diversifying the varieties of coffee grown under the conditions of soil, climate and topography, always with the guidance of agronomists to produce differentiated quality coffees. Believing in continuous improvement of coffee production with excellence in quality, the producer is associated with the cooperative COOPAL and SCAMG.