People
Finca La Bendición is a family-owned farm located in the village Sanguyaba, Palencia, Guatemala. It was originally started by a young couple, Vicente Gómez and María Reyes, who decided to buy the land about 89 years ago and pass it to their son as a legacy. Today, their son José Alfredo Gómez is taking care of the land and is turning it into a specialty coffee farm.
The Coffee Quest first visited Finca La Bendicíon in 2018 and we were already excited to import coffee from here. This year, one of our founders, Friso Spoor, visited them again and came back with a lot of good memories and positive feedback. That’s why we are happy and proud to share this story with you.
“When walking up to Finca La Bendicíon, you are getting proper cowboy vibes. All members of all generations were happy to give us a tour of the farm. While José was passionately explaining everything about his farm, his father was constantly spotting coffee plants to prune”. – Friso Spoor
Vicente and María started with dairy cattle, and crops of potatoes and corn. Nowadays, the focus has slightly changed: producing high-quality coffee. José and the whole family work together to accomplish the goal.
The land sums up to 34 ha and every member of the family is constantly looking for ways to improve it. Considering the size and the variety of plants on the land, the team work is needed. José and his family do not only grow coffee but also avocados, oranges and bananas which also work as shade for the coffee plants.
Product
The coffee plants at Finca La Bendición grow at an altitude of 1800 to 2000 metres above sea level. All coffee coming from José’s farm is SHB (Strictly Hard Bean or also Strictly Hard Grown).
The varieties growing at this farm include Pache, San Ramon, Catisic, Catuai and Bourbon varieties. However, the family is experimenting with other kinds as well. The fully washed and honey we are offering this year is Pache. The fermentation applied lasts for 5-6 hours, then the coffee dry on patios for 13 days. Coffee
Finca La Bendición does not have their own dry-mill, that’s why they bring the coffee to San Miguel Mill. However, according to José this enables them to focus only on growing the highest quality coffee as possible.
Coffee from this finca results in more sweetness in the cup profile, as when picking the cherry only those with the ideal Brix value (22) are picked. The purpose of this practice is to ensure that there is sufficient honey on the cherry.
Price
Small producers in Central America often face the hurdle of low prices and labour exploitation – an issue that The Coffee Quest is targeting. This is possible only thanks to our close relationships with our local suppliers, such as San Miguel.
Planet
As the name itself suggests (bendición means blessing), at this farm the beauty of the environment around is preserved. José revealed to us that he called the land Finca La Bendición because he considers it a gift and a blessing from God. Therefore, he treats it accordingly.
On the farm, they grow avocado plants, banana and orange trees, which provide important shade for the coffee plants as well. To preserve the flora and fauna on the land, the whole family decided not to use any herbicides. According to José, it’s not only bad for the soil, but also for the quality of his coffee.
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