- Posted by Gazy
- Wed, 02/17/2010 - 18:30
Colombian coffee: human profiles
Alicia Murcia is a retired school teacher who, along with her daughter Isaura Bermudez also a retired school teacher, run the family's estate of FINCA EL CARMELO, founded 72 years ago by their forefathers. Nine years ago, Alicia and Isaura completed the process of turning the finca to 100% organic processes; after extensive research and experiments they developed their own formulations for the organic mixtures set up their own storage, mixing and composting facilities. Being attached to the land as they are, they have dedicated 1 fourth of their 4 hectare finca to native forests, planted all around the perimeter, in order to set a natural boundary with adjacent farms. Additionally, they use native tree species to shade-grow their Colombian coffee, which is totally of the Tavi variety.
Colombian coffee growers: Alicia Murcia with her daughter Isaura Bermudez
The beneficiadero (where the Colombian coffee is washed and dried) is kept under strict hygienic standards and smoking is prohibited inside the farm.
They constantly host tutorials and courses for the schoolchildren of the neighboring village of Guayabal de Siquima, where they teach the kids about organic agriculture, respect for nature and love for their land. They also train coffee pickers from other regions, provide assistance and skills-training to single mothers, run a neat and efficient coffee production, for which Isaura maintains detailed controls in her laptop, and a complete photographic record of visitors, training and processes, and still find time to brew delicious Colombian coffee.
Alicia and Isaura are committed to quality so they personally control each step of the production in order to maintain a high cup grade.
Anecdote: one day, a wounded hawk landed in El Carmelo; Isaura cured it and fed it while it was weak, preparing it for its return to flight. When it was ready, she took the hawk to the forest and let it go. The hawk keeps coming back to El Carmelo to visit.
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REVIEWS & COMMENTS
GREAT TO HAVE SUCH PASSONATE GROWER!
Son Ton | Tue, 01/24/2012 - 02:16It is great indeed to have such passionate people taking care and processing our beans. Thank you for provide such personal accounts!
REALLY NEAT HOW IT HAS BEEN
intrepid510 | Mon, 11/28/2011 - 23:51Really neat how it has been in their family for so long.
ANOTHER NICE STORY
jbviau | Sat, 11/12/2011 - 22:52Wonder what wounded the hawk?
I DON'T BLAME THE HAWK
Wakeknot | Fri, 09/30/2011 - 19:51I'd love to go visit, too!
NATIVE BEANS?
EricBNC | Mon, 09/05/2011 - 18:32I haven't heard of the Tavi bean before - what if any bean is it similar to?
QUE BIEN!
Andres Felipe Ospina | Thu, 03/04/2010 - 01:07Gazy, I really like your blog! Is good to see the faces of the people involved in the coffee farming and also the professional ones! Your writing style is also very good, smooth and gentle but to the point!. Thanks for promoting our coffee and our farmers, definitely an important job!. Cheers. Andres Felipe
FELICITACIONES
nelson | Tue, 03/02/2010 - 14:04Hola mis queridas amigas felicitaciones por el blog, muchos exitos, un abrazo Nelson
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL STORY TO
marvi | Thu, 02/18/2010 - 15:26What a beautiful story to include. Their compassion for the hawk I am sure carries over to the way they treat the land and the pride they take in the product they produce.
EXCELENTE LABOR LA QUE
Vicky | Thu, 02/18/2010 - 12:29Excelente labor la que hicieron la madre e hija.
ojala se dedicaran a seguir su labor de educadoras haciendo conocer sus técnicas en toda la región.
la anécdota del halcón es fascinante!!
COOL
DeBorah matalon | Thu, 02/18/2010 - 10:44Cool Hawk... this family is living the dream
EL CARMELO'S SUSTAINABLE
Michel | Thu, 02/18/2010 - 10:00El Carmelo's sustainable operation sounds exemplary. It should be one followed by large food industries, specially today considering that we are food overproduction is at an all time highest and the starving population (13% of world) keeps growing.