About the coffee
- Cupping notes: Outstanding body and sweetness, citric acidity, with notes of caramel, cherry, and orange
- Cultivation: Grown in the mountains of the Huehuetenango region in western Guatemala
- Altitude: 4,600-5,400 feet
- Tree type: Bourbon, Catimor, Catuai, Caturra
- Preparation: Washed, sun-dried on patios and rooftops
About the people who grow it
Top and bottom: Photos by royalny.com; used by permission
Many coffee aficionados are familiar with Huehuetenango and its stellar reputation for specialty coffee. But few have ventured to this isolated corner of Guatemala. My importer has gone there with a team many times over the years. They are proud to have been the first to import Fair Trade certified coffee from Asociación Barillense de Agricultores (ASOBAGRI).
The rugged terrain of the area has preserved the indigenous heritage, distinctive clothing, and dialects that can vary from one mountain ridge to the next. ASOBAGRI has become an important bridge for these local coffee farmers to the international specialty coffee community. This cooperative is one of the most sophisticated and well organized in the world. They have over 1,400 members, spread across 80 communities, who cultivate and harvest their own coffee on small farms with their own micro-mills. ASOBAGRI is also committed to promoting gender equality throughout the organization.
This lot, called “Café de Mujeres” (Las Dueñas Café), is the culmination of an integrated program for 182 female members of ASOBAGRI. The program includes 5 women technicians providing training and technical support that is appropriately tailored to the needs of the members. Strategies like using coffee pulp to make organic fertilizers reduces the transportation costs associated with purchasing fertilizer from afar and creates an abundant source of plant nutrition that ensures better yields and quality. Income diversification investments in chicken farms, avocado trees and local cafeteria have also strengthened the options for women members.
The rugged terrain of the area has preserved the indigenous heritage, distinctive clothing, and dialects that can vary from one mountain ridge to the next. ASOBAGRI has become an important bridge for these local coffee farmers to the international specialty coffee community. This cooperative is one of the most sophisticated and well organized in the world. They have over 1,400 members, spread across 80 communities, who cultivate and harvest their own coffee on small farms with their own micro-mills. ASOBAGRI is also committed to promoting gender equality throughout the organization.
This lot, called “Café de Mujeres” (Las Dueñas Café), is the culmination of an integrated program for 182 female members of ASOBAGRI. The program includes 5 women technicians providing training and technical support that is appropriately tailored to the needs of the members. Strategies like using coffee pulp to make organic fertilizers reduces the transportation costs associated with purchasing fertilizer from afar and creates an abundant source of plant nutrition that ensures better yields and quality. Income diversification investments in chicken farms, avocado trees and local cafeteria have also strengthened the options for women members.