Finca La Tierra is our own 10 hectare coffee farm in Cauca, Colombia. We bought a pretty worn down farm in early 2017 because it happened to be for sale, the location was good and the size not too over-whelming. And because we were and are really eager to learn about coffee farming for real. Johan has travelled the coffee world, walked more steps on coffee farms than most people, but this is something completely different, this is hard work and full commitment.
Our aim with Finca La Tierra is to learn everything about growing coffee and at the same time see how we can develop the farm. Today, commercial coffee trees grow here - Colombia, Castillo & Supremo and shade for the trees only exists on a small part of the farm. Our main question is: how do we develop Finca La Tierra into a sustainable specialty coffee farm?
We have just started planting shade trees, introduced cow manure and other more natural ways to fertilize, and planted other coffee trees - Bourbon, Caturra, Tabi and more. We have also created a variety garden where we have so far planted 15 different types of coffee trees - different Geishas, Pacamara, several types of Bourbon, Maracaturra and more. These will give a harvest for the first time in 2020, and then we can try them to see which ones we will plant out on the farm.
Our goal is to tell you about Finca La Tierra, our hard work to make the farm sustainable and full of fantastic coffee. We want to share everything, all its unglamorous adversities and all its glorious successes.
We own the farm together with Heber Sarria, a famous person for many coffee lovers. Had he not decided to move to Colombia and take responsibility for the farm, it would not be possible. Running a coffee farm is complicated, you have to be there, work on the farm, be with the workers and inspire them.
Today, the farm is managed by Ivan, who lives on the adjacent farm Finca LA Sierra and has the main responsibility.
Ever since we bought the farm, we have worked hard to increase the quality of both the farm and the coffee it produces. New shade and fruit trees have been planted together with several new coffee varieties. We have started to fertilize organically, built a variety garden and in every way tried to make the cultivation as natural as we can. New drying beds have been built and the staff has been trained so that both picking and finishing of the coffee will be better.
And now the new harvest has come and we can see that our work and investments have paid off. The coffee has gone from 84 on a quality scale (which is not bad), to a clear 86+ (which is very good). The fine fullness of the coffee remains, but the fruit tones are more complex and round.
We have also made a new roasting profile on the coffee and created a slightly longer roast curve, which gives a slightly softer character with which still retains the fine fruitiness.
