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Overview

El Tambor is located in Palencia, Guatemala . The coffee plantation begins at 5000 to 6300 feet over sea level, but the coffee we choose for the cup of Excellence lots are at 6000 feet over sea level. El Tambor climate has a cold weather from November to March. The farm was funded in 1930 as a cattle ranch; later in 1966 was planted with coffee. This is first generation of our family producing coffee in Palencia, but the fourth producing in other regions. In 1930 the Franco family bought small farms and formed El Tambor. At this moment the coffee farm belongs to the Calderon family and is administrated by the Calderon Solano family. To control the coffee quality we start from the seed, which is carefully chosen every year by Pablo Montezuma. From 50,000 seeds planted in the soil, 40,000 are chosen to be planted into bags, filled with soil and one year aged coffee pulp. 18,000 to 25,000 are planted, the rest is sold. During flowering season we identify areas that will have the best trees to produce coffee during harvest. Mr. Juan and Herlindo Cante are in charge to pick the best cherries that later are process at the wet mill. Before starting to mill, our worker Juan Maquin checks that cherries do not have any yellow part. Then, Mr. Aquilino Perez is in charge of fermentation tanks, he has to take care of coffee on that process and take it to sun dried on patios. In El Tambor we also have bees producing excellent honey. Also avocado trees and a growing natural forest protected area. The total area of forest and natural forest area is one quarter of the land. We give our workers a 10% of our property to plant black beans and corn, representing 80% of their annual food supply. We also support other special projects, such as production of fish, we gave them one cow by family, support in construction of their houses, etc.