Finca El Jardin – Building a Legacy

Martin Stefanov

March 14, 2023
, 3:59 pm

People

Jorge Rojas is a 4th generation coffee grower and runs Finca El Jardin, which is located in Planadas, Tolima, Colombia. His journey with coffee began at the age of 13 when his mother provided him with the opportunity to work on the farm. This allowed him to learn everything necessary to manage a coffee farm. Upon reaching adulthood, Jorge inherited a portion of his father’s farm and acquired a section of his neighbour’s land. Together, they now make up his very own Finca El Jardin.

Jorge’s family also plays a significant role in his coffee production. Together, they work in the field and strive to innovate and produce high-quality coffee. Additionally, Jorge has also created his own brand, La Roca. He personally roasts the coffee and is currently constructing a wet mill to buy and process coffee cherries from his neighbouring farmers.

“My dream is to become a recognized producer in the region, and I hope that my son will carry on my legacy as part of the next generation of coffee producers.’ – Jorge Rojas

Finca El Jardin is situated at an elevation of approximately 1,860 meters and spans around 3 hectares of land dedicated to coffee cultivation. Within this area, you can find different varieties of coffee, including 4,000 Caturra, 7,000 Yellow Colombia, 1,000 Pink Bourbon, 800 Wush Wush, and 1,000 Geisha.

Product

Jorge Rojas is constantly exploring new ideas to enhance the quality of his coffee, ever since he was introduced to specialty coffee in 2016. His commitment to innovation and improvement is evident. As a matter of fact, he has even developed his own fermentation and drying process. It all begins with a rigorous selection of coffee cherries during the harvest. This ensures that only perfectly ripe ones are hand-picked. After that, Jorge and his family transfer the cherries to sealed tanks. They remain there for 72 hours before being de-pulped and fermented again for another 38 hours in the same tanks.

Next, the coffee undergoes a precise drying process. Initially, it is mechanically dried at a constant temperature of 30 degrees Celsius for 28 hours. Afterwards, Jorge places the coffee in fique bags and keeps it in a dark place with an average ambient temperature of 20 to 24 degrees for 24 hours. It is then dried again for 48 hours in a greenhouse, where the temperature ranges from 30 to 34 degrees. After a 24-hour rest in fique sacks, the coffee is mechanically dried for a final time at 38 degrees for 48 hours. Finally, the coffee is cooled, stabilized, and packed in bags.

Price

Being a coffee farmer is a continuous challenge shaped by various external factors. At The Coffee Quest, we uphold the fundamental principle of fair pricing because we believe that farmers should receive acknowledgement for producing top-quality coffee beans. Furthermore, a fair income serves as a motivation for farmers like Jorge Rojas to continue their hard work and incentivizes them to modernize and enhance their coffee production.

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Planet

Jorge Rojas’ farm, Finca El Jardin, boasts a forest reserve of approximately 0.5 hectares. This reserve holds significant value as it lies in close proximity to a National Park. The reserve aids in safeguarding various endangered species, such as the Gallito de Roca bird, which Jorge also claims to have spotted on his farm.

Additionally, he strives to implement sustainable practices at Finca El Jardin, including composting all coffee pulp with the aid of earthworms. He is among the few producers who filter water after processing their coffee.