14 Don Octavio, 88.23 - El Salvador 2021

This Pacamara coffee farm has an extension of 10.5 acres. It is located at a latitude of 14 degrees, 23 minutes and 24 seconds North and at a longitude of 89 degrees, 17 minutes and 9 seconds West, with an altitude between 1500 and 1600 meters above sea level; in the municipality of Citala, Dept. de Chalatenango.
The shade is about 95% native trees. The last analysis of the soil in 2021, according to the CENTA (National Center for Agricultural and Forestry Technology) the texture to the touch is loamy clay, sandy with a Ph in water of 5.70.
We do have our own honey processing benefit and this harvest was prepared locally and dried in African beds.
This land has belonged to the Umana Family for approximately 150 years. Through time it was used, initially to generate family support producing different crops such as basic grains, vegetables, which was my grandfather's passion, in addition to native fruit trees and some wood. In the last 70 years it was used mainly as pasture for cattle. However, it could be said that for 35 years this land was abandoned, leaving only vestiges of grassland, grew weeds, but also regional trees were reproduced.
I returned (2012) to my country 9 years ago to enjoy my retirement. With my environmentalist mentality I thought about reforesting the land. Driven by the Trifinio plan (which promoted the reforestation of the Lempa river basin and offered help to grow coffee) I decided to plant coffee. Unfortunately, the 3,000 coffee plants that I initially received
were of poor quality and I lost all of them; but instead of being discouraged, I decided to continue with my project to improve the aquifer mantles and generate work for the residents. Since I did not have any knowledge about coffee plantation, I started taking courses and self-educating.
In 2013 Mr. Carlos Deras, a connoisseur of coffee nurseries, encouraged me to start our own Pacamara nursery with certified PROCAFE seeds; In addition, Mr. Sergio Ticas helped me to get a lot of 4,000 plants from a recognized nursery, and this marked the end of year 2013. Mr. Antonio Ticas helped me a lot for the participation in the cup of excellence in years 2019 and 2020.
Then, every year we have continued growing our own nursery with certified seeds, plus plants that the government sometimes provides with its program to help coffee growers. This is how now (2021), after 9 years of planting little every year, we have the third considerable harvest that can go to the market; because the small harvests of previous to 2019 years have served to enjoy it with family and friends.
2019 COE fifth place 2020 COE 21st place
2021 COE in progress
I am satisfied and happy to have improved (a little bit) the oxygen for the planet and facilitated houses for birds and to leave to future generations more opportunities of employment.
I would like to recognize the help I have received for the people I mentioned above and for the small and dedicated workers in my team.