85.78

Overview

For third year in a row, Finca San Jose has been awarded at the Cup of Excellence, proving once again that commitment, hope and passion will never be deceived. San Jose is the pride and joy of the Rodriguez family, which is now in the hands of a 4th and 5th generation of coffee producers. The story begins in 1815 when Jose Maria Rodriguez and Josefina Rodriguez planted the first coffee trees with their own hands. Through the generations, the farm has passed through the hands of many committed farmers, beginning with Israel Rodriguez who, followed by Jose Maria Rodriguez cared for the farm until the most recent owner, Gloria Mercedes Rodriguez Fontan, took over. Ever the strong woman, Gloria has overcome gender barriers in an industry that has historically been the province of men and continues to personally supervise the process of cultivation. 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. This year San Jose had 10 full-time workers doing the shadow and coffee tree pruning, renewing the plants, herb control, etc. and all is done skillfully by hand. Approximately 60 more seasonal workers aid in the harvest process earning their livelihood from picking and selecting only at the peak of ripeness. The people who pick 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. On Finca San Jose, coffee goes through extensive quality control. In addition to being grown under standards that supports specialty coffee. The unique microclimate conditions include an average altitude of 1,500 meters (above sea level), an average temperature of 17º C, organically rich clay soil and grown 100% Bourbón variety. Some other works done this past year included the use of foliar and fertilizer (nitrogen, potassium, zinc, magnesium, etc.) a soil study to check on soil requirements, coffee tree bending or “agobio”, among others. 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.

Other Statistics:

Location: El Saitillal, Apaneca
Coffee varieties: Bourbón
Type of Shade: Pepeto, inga sp, and other native trees
Average Annual Rainfall: 2,100 mm
Average Temperature: 17º C
Type of Soil: Clay loam
Annual Production: (60kg) 69 bags
Mill and company where lot was process: Beneficio El Carmen, Agricola San Agustin, S.A. de C.V.
Fauna: Armadillo, gray fox, agouti, pocket gopher, magpie, turquoise, etc.

GPS Coordinates:

Latitude: N 13º 52’ 52.3’’
Longitude: W 89º 48’ 24.5’’