Tarrazu, Costa Rica

This Costa Rican coffee was grown and honey-processed on Las Gravilias farm. The Marin Piedra family carefully leaves a small amount of coffee cherry pulp (a.k.a. honey) around the beans before sundrying them to the desired consistency.

The Tarrazu region has one of the best climates for coffee production in the world. The proximity of the Pacific Ocean brings wind currents and a definitive dry season right before harvest starts. This helps concentrate sugars in the coffee cherry, enabling a complexity of flavours to develop in the bean.

The Association of Organic Families of the Caraigres Hills, (AFAORCA) is an organization created by the need for family farmers to find alternative solutions and joint initiatives to produce organic coffee. It is a small-scale facility using water-conservation technology, sun drying and composting methods to reduce impacts on the environment. There are currently 24 certified organic family farmers, each with an average of 1.5 hectares of coffee production. Crops are alternated with fruits, forestry, and a variety of native species that provide shelter to both migratory birds and shade for coffee trees. The micro-mill, testing lab and raised African-style drying beds ensure quality control in every step to maintain the best aromas and flavours in the coffees.

Objective: to produce, process and market products directly from certified farms. 

Mission: "We are an organization of families who process and market organic agricultural products quality certificates, which are helping to protect the environment while preserving the health of people.  We guarantee a high quality product, free of toxic chemical in both the production and processing, providing a fair and friendly treatment."

Vision: "A clear and strong organizatin on your system, with great production and mechanisms developed, which works with integrity in the balance of nature, with people  trained in its good work to a healthy and harmonious living."

Objectives AFAORCA:

A) Strengthen AFAORCA to implement organizational and productive projects that contribute to improving the lives of participating families
B) Encourage the integration and diversification of farms, with ephasis on organic agriculture by promoting the full participation of families in different production processings tasks & agricultural marketing.
C) To assist with the development of Organic Agricultre improving the environment in the region Caraigres and improving the health of families. 
D) Ensure training and continuing education of members of households affiliated with the association, especially with educational processes to integrate organic agriculture.

 

Quickfacts

Roast: Light
Flavour Notes: Rich and fruity with field
berrues, plum, and toffee flavours
Region: La Legua de Aserri, Tarrazu
Altitude: 1600 m
Co-op: AFAORCA
Number of members: 24
Process: Yellow honey, pulped-natural

Social programs: brings homeless people from member communities into the dry processing facility to be trained and given paid work