89.29

This Pacamara coffee farm is relatively young; it currently has a land size of 10 acres. It is located at a latitude of 14 degrees, 23 minutes and 24 seconds North and at a longitude of 89 degrees, 17 minutes and 9 seconds West, with an altitude between 1500 and 1600 meters above sea level in the municipality of Citalá, Dept. de Chalatenango.

The shade is about 95% native trees. According to the CENTA’s (National Center for Agricultural and Forestry Technology) soil analysis in 2019, the texture to the touch is loamy clay, sandy with a water Ph of 5.16.

We do not have our own benefit and this harvest was prepared locally using honey process and dried in African beds.

This land has belonged to the Umaña Family for approximately 150 years. Between the years 1870-1930 my grandfather used the land primarily for producing crops such as grains and vegetables to provide for the family. The land also produced native fruit trees and some wood for consumption. Between 1930-2000 my uncles as well as my father began using the land as pasture for cattle. In 2005, my father, Octavio Umaña, passed away and the land was abandoned. Only vestiges of grassland, weeds and random growth of regional trees remained.

I returned to El Salvador in 2012 to enjoy my retirement. Being an environmentalist-at-heart, I had dreamt about improving the environment and reforesting the land. Driven by the Trifinio plan (which promoted the reforestation of the Lempa river basin and offered help to grow coffee) I decided to plant coffee. Unfortunately, 3,000 of the 12,000 coffee plants that were offered to me in 2012 were of poor quality and everything was lost. While I was somewhat discouraged, I decided to continue with my plans to reforest the land, improve the aquifer mantles, and generate work for locals. Since I did not have any knowledge about coffee plantation, I also started reading and taking courses during this time. Page 2 of 4

In 2013, Mr. Carlos Deras, a connoisseur of nurseries, encouraged me to start my own Pacamara nursery with certified PROCAFE seeds; In addition, Mr. Sergio Ticas helped me get a lot of 4,000 plants from a recognized nursery.

Since then, every year we have continued planting our own nursery with certified seeds, in addition to plants that the government sometimes provides with its program to help coffee growers. This is how now, after 6 years of planting little-by-little, we have the first considerable harvest that can go to market. Prior to this, the small harvests have been enjoyed only by close family and friends.

At this moment I am satisfied and happy that I have restored usefulness to my land’s rich history, built more houses for birds, contributed to improving the oxygen for the planet and left potential employment opportunities to future generations.

I hope you enjoy this coffee as much as I do.

Sincerely,

Octavio