arango

28 | La Paloma

Spot Continental NJ

Producer
Alfredo Piedrahita		Description
Sweet, maple syrup, grape, bakers chocolate
Process
Washed		Varietals
Caturra, Colombia
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
2,000 meters
Position
Spot		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Growing up at his parents farm, Alfredo inherited his father’s passion for coffee. When the time came to purchase his own land, he chose to stay in the area known for it’s unique fertile soil. However, his 25 years at La Paloma are not something to be taken for granted. In early 2000, violence between illegal groups erupted as they vied for control of the region. Several people were killed including one of Alfredo’s brothers and one of his cousins. After enduring these hardships, there was hope for of stability in the Colombian government’s peace treaty with the FARC in 2016. Unfortunately , different illegal groups are still interested in the illicit enterprises left behind in the wake of the treaty. Alfredo’s resilience and commitment to keep working at his farm are remarkable. We are humbled to work with people like him.

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89 | Bagamenton

Spot Continental NJ

Producer
German Garcia		Description
Maple syrup, stone fruit, peach, bakers chocolate
Process
Washed		Varietals
Caturra
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
2,300 meters
Position
Spot		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Bagamenton has been home to the Garcia family for over 40 years. Nestled at over 2,300 meters above sea level, Bagamenton has the highest elevation of any farm that we have worked with. This above the clouds location plays a fundamental role in the quality of the coffee that is produced at the farm.

German and his siblings were raised at the farm, where they learned the production of coffee. German’s father, Francisco, used to work at the neighboring coffee farms all year round to provide for his family, meanwhile German’s mother, Bertha, took care of the kids and the farm. Sadly, his father passed away in 2006 when German was just 8 years old. As a result, the Garcia family became more dependent on the farm. They started planting more coffee and nowadays they have about 1,700 trees between Colombia, Caturra and Typica varietals.
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163 | Las Palomas

Spot Continental NJ

Producer
Wilfran Trujillo		Description
Plum, florals, honey, citrus
Process
Washed		Varietals
Chiroso
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
2,000 meters
Position
Spot		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Wilfran grew up around coffee, learning alongside his father and grandfather. In 2013, he moved to Las Palomas and began planting coffee trees in partnership with his father. They are very proud of what they have built together. The farm currently has around 1,500 Chiroso trees producing cherries and another 1,500 that are a year old. Wilfran intends to expand the farm with the addition of 5,000 trees this year.
As the farm grew, so did Wilfran’s family. With his wife and daughter at the farm, life at Las Palomas has come full circle with Wilfran’s daughter learning about coffee alongside her father and grandfather.
Outside of life at Las Palomas, Wilfran enjoys playing music. He is a member of a local band and they love performing.
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116 | La Quinta

Under Contract

Producer
Tiberio Correa		Description
Chocolate, honey, molasses, cherry
Process
Washed		Varietals
Colombia, Castillo, Caturra
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
 1,900 meters
Position
Under contract		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Tiberio was raised along with his 12 siblings at his parent’s coffee farm in Ituango, Antioquia. He learned everything about coffee from his father. Now he and his wife are raising their 4 children at their own coffee farm, La Quinta. With 6 hectares planted with coffee, La Quinta has around 25,000 coffee trees of the Colombia, Castillo and Caturra varietals. In addition to coffee, the family produces beans and corn. Some cattle are also raised at the farm. Tiberio is forever grateful for his land. He believes there is no better lifestyle than to be surrounded by fresh air, peace, and nature. On top of that, coffee has given him the resources to educate his kids. Tiberio believes that education is important even if you come back to work at the farm. If you have the knowledge to do things better your quality of life will improve he says.
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64 | La Cartagena

Under Contract

Producer
Jorge Cartagena		Description
Dark chocolate, maple syrup, spices, citrus
Process
Washed, sun-dried		Varietals
Caturra, Colombia
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
1,950 meters
Position
Under Contract		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Like many of the farmers we work with, Jorge learned the art of producing coffee from his father. However, after inheriting his father’s small coffee farm, he chose to sell it. With the money from that sale he was able to purchase La Cartagena, a farm that has allowed him to pursue the production of specialty coffee. He now has 4,500 coffee trees planted – a combination of Caturra and Colombia varietals. As he continually works to enhance the quality of his coffee, Jorge already has plans to improve both his water supply and his wet beneficio. Proud of his profession, Jorge is also teaching his children how to grow coffee. He hopes the family tradition will continue for many generations to come.
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69 | El Roble

Under Contract

Producer
Albeiro Ramirez		Description
Bright, floral, jasmine, Honey
Process
Washed		Varietals
Chiroso
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
2,000 meters
Position
Under contract		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Already situated 2,000 meters above sea level, El Roble also benefits from the unique microclimate of the Penderisco river valley which is created by ocean winds and the surrounding mountains. This region is also the home of the Chiroso varietal of which Albeiro planted trees in 2015. While, based on tree age, the plantation is young, Albeiro’s experience and commitment make this lot one not to miss.

Although there is certainly room for expansion at El Roble, Albeiro does not plan to plant more trees any time soon. With the lack of workers during the harvesting season and the cost of adapting his drying facilities to accommodate more coffee, he prefers to concentrate on quality over quantity. He will proudly share with you that he has participated in the Cup of Excellence competition for the last two years. However, what would ultimately make Albeiro the proudest, is his grandson taking over El Roble one day.
 
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11 | Campo Alegre

Spot Continental NJ

Producer
Martin Tapias		Description
Sweet, cocoa powder, sugar cane, lime
Process
Washed		Varietals
Castillo, Colombia
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
1,800 meters
Position
Spot		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Martin takes great pride in the management of Campo Alegre. Upon visiting, it is evident that he has invested in a superior wet mill and quality marquesinas for wash processing and drying. Certain that his attention to every detail translates to an incomparable cup of coffee, Martin is just looking for the opportunity to prove it.
 
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158 | La Guamera

Under Contract

Producer
Alcides Guzman		Description
Bakers chocolate, brown sugar, honey, dry fruit
Process
Washed		Varietals
Colombia, Castillo
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
1,700 meters
Position
Under contract		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Alcides has been working with coffee for 14 years, gradually increasing the production of La Gamera from a few trees to the 12,000 trees he currently has planted. He is careful to monitor the age of the trees and prune them every seven years. This management style allowed him to have very good yields as there are always trees producing. In adition to this meticulous tree management, Alcides believes reinvesting in the farm and its facilities is crucial to providing superior coffee. He diligently maintains his wet beneficio and drying facilities so that the cherries can be processed correctly and efficiently.
Despite La Guamera’s location in Ituango – Antioquia (an area fraught with conflict between illegal groups), Alcides and his wife are optimistic for the future. They believe their dedication to coffee will allow them to provide their daughter with more options as she grows older.
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33 | El Mango

Under Contract

Producer
Gilberto Giraldo		Description
Balanced, sugar cane, stone fruit, chocolate
Process
Washed		Varietals
Colombia, Castillo
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
1,800 meters
Position
Uder contract		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Like other farms in the area, Gilberto and El Mango have experienced a couple of challenging years. The extended dry season a year ago diminished the production yield considerably. On top of that, the resurgence of activity among armed illegal groups in the region led to multiple displacements from the farm, including once during the harvest last year.

While these obstacles proved difficult to overcome, Gilberto took them in stride and is still planning for the upcoming years. He has new varietals that will be maturing soon and is excited to experiment with different processing methods (something he had intended to do this year). His unwavering commitment to El Mango is evident and we are equally committed to riding out the ups and downs with him.
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32 | El Rosario

Under Contract

Producer
Cesar Zuleta		Description
Citrus, lime, caramel, candy
Process
Washed		Varietals
Colombia, Castillo
Region
Antioquia		Elevation
1,800 meters
Position
Under contract		Warehouse
Continental, New Jersey
Cesar grew up at El Rosario learning everything about coffee from his father. When his parents decided to move to the city he stayed behind, taking over the farm. While he has built a life with his wife and three children in Ituango, remaining at the farm has not been an easy choice. The region has suffered from violence at the hands of illegal groups for decades and Cesar’s community is no exception. Over the years, he has lost friends and family members and considers himself lucky to have only been displaced from his farm a few times.

Regardless of the situation, Cesar is working hard to improve every day. He is invested in his coffee and continues planning for the future, planting new coffee varieties this year and improving his beneficios. This level of commitment combined with the fertile soil and microclimate El Rosario has to offer is a recipe for great coffee.
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