86.97

Farm’s name and location:

The farm is located in the Ojo de Aguita village in the municipality of Concepcion del Sur, Department of Santa Barbara, in an altitude of 1550 meters above sea level in the buffer zone of Montana de Santa Barbara, which is a protected ecological area and was declared National Park and it has the same name, and it is one of the least explored and most diverse ecosystems in Central America and it has cloud forests, rain forests and pine forests; it has a total surface area of 321.23 km2. There is a great variety of fauna like paca, squirrels, raccoons, bobcats, parrots, chachas, wild roosters and a great diversity of timber trees like pines, cedars, mahogany, bay trees and other species like avocadoes, cablotes, liquidambar, madreado, hormigo, sapodilla, ferns and orchids.
What is your farm’s history? Is your farm a family unit? How long has it belonged to your family? How many members make up your family? I am originally from Quelepa village located in the buffer zone of the Santa Barbara mountain in the Las Vegas municipality, the place where my father had his first farm. In 1996 coffee prices were good and my father decided to buy a property in the mountain of Santa Barbara, in the Ojo de Aguita village, in the Concepcion del Sur municipality, this sector is known as La Leona. Due to my dad’s advanced age and the difficulty in having access to the farm, he decides to sell the farm to set up a business. My older brother and I bought the farm. My brother is Oscar Tinoco (winner of Cup of Excellence 2011). How many persons work in your farm, family members, permanent employees and temporary employees? I work in the farm activities and hire a permanent employee and also hire around 20 workers to pick the harvest, and one to do the coffee’s milling process.
What natural resources conservation practices do you follow in the farm? 1 – The coffee is grown under the shade of forest trees, besides planting in curves at level to minimize the soil erosion.
2 – There is solid waste management treatment with the composting process and vermiculture, which I use in the farm as organic fertilizer.
What is the shade percentage and the varieties found in your farm? A small percentage is under shade since the farm is at a very high altitude and the guamos are planted very separately because if they are planted too close together the harvest decreases a lot and there is an increase in diseases spread.
What type of fertilization process do you use in your farm? I use mainly chemical fertilization from the formulas from IHCAFE. What type of management do you use in your farm (traditional, semi-technical, technical?)The management of the farm is semi-technical but I’m trying to improve the situation through some practices suggested by the technicians.
Are you part of an association or cooperative? I am in the rural board of AHPROCAFE in Quelepa village where I have a small farm.
What is the secret for winning this competition (describe the preparation process of the competing lot)?1 – The geographical location of my farm and the environmental conditions.
2 – Good planting, harvesting and milling practices3- Harvesting the coffee when the cherry is red and training the pickers at the harvest.
How does it feel to be a winner of the Cup of Excellence? I am happy to have been included in the top 20 best spots. Who prepares your coffee for exportation? (Explain how you sell it and to whom) My coffee is brought by mules down the mountain since we have no access by road, and I normally sell parchment coffee to the San Vicente Exporter, located in Pena Blanca Cortes since it is nearby and they are interested in the high quality coffee from Santa Barbara mountain. What is your opinion of the Cup of Excellence? 1 – It is a project that has promoted worldwide the Honduran coffee.
2 – It increases the income of the winners.
3 – Discovers quality niches.
What has been your experience in the Cup of Excellence? It is the first time I participate in the Cup of Excellence and I have been encouraged by my brother who had already participated.