Barista Magazine

DEC 2012-JAN 2013

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David Lopez of Cultivadores del Reino grows Cataui on this Rainforest Alliance–certified farm in Honduras. double cappuccino with Sebastian's coffee for myself and told him how it's my favorite drink. I offered him a sip and he looked up with a milk mustache, commenting that is was terrific—and then he went on to slam the rest of it. Benjamin asked them all to comment on the service at the end of the breakfast, and it was moving to hear the producers thank us and say that without us they would never have known their coffee could have such expression and flavor, and how specialty coffee has changed their lives. SIGUATEPEQUE, COMAYAGUA Devin and the film crew then moved on with me an hour south of Peña Blanca to Siguatepeque, to attend a producer meeting of a farmer cooperative named Cultivadores del Reino. I first learned of these coffees after meeting a nonprofit at SCAA called Growers First Foundation. Growers First is wonderful organization that does community and development work in rural coffee-producing villages in Mexico and Honduras. Enoc Alvarez was our guide and translator during our time there, and he shared information about that particular cooperative as well as the general work that Growers First is doing in Honduras. We interviewed a founding member of the co-op and three of its members. At first disheartening to hear their stories of being isolated and taken advantage of by coffee coyotes, but then inspiring to see the change and transformation they experienced by joining the community and services of the co-op: improving their production and quality through the help of Growers First. Each person we interviewed had also grown into positions of leadership and service among the community through things like medical first responder and health-promoter training, as well as coffee handling. David, for example, was trained by the local exporting mill COHORSIL to build a wet mill for use by the co-op producers in his more remote village El Socorro de la Penita and had a fascinating story to tell. We were able to visit David's beautiful farm and mill, which is Rainforest Alliance–certified with gorgeous Japanese plum, guava, and citrus trees providing shade and shelter for birds among his Catuai coffee trees. Enoc and I spoke there about my return during the harvest to begin the first separation of microlots from among the cooperative, to promote quality over quantity in future plantings; many of the producers are growing high-yielding Lempira, which lack the cup quality of lower-yielding trees like Pacas and Bourbon which, in the end, will bring in more money. Devin and I were really impressed by the facilities at COHORSIL, where we met with Luis Vega, a kind and passionate man who wants his community to improve its quality of coffee and consequently its quality of life. From my conversations with Luis, I am confident about the professionalism. organization, and integrity of COHORSIL. As St. Frank Coffee works with Growers First and Luis, I am also extremely excited and hopeful for the future of these coffees and producers. www.baristamagazine.com 45

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