Colina Siete Estrellas {O} - Bolivia 2005 Verified listing

Emilio CastroI come from the Pacajes Province of the Department of La Paz. I have lived in Caranavi for 25 years and have two children. We have participated before, 2003 with Jakaranda and Rio Colorado samples, we achieved the 4th and 5th place in the contest Cupping the Peek of the Mountain. This year my coffee’s quality improved, but it is not too noticeable, since 2004 there was an abundant harvest and I was not able to harvest of of it, and this 2005 the harvest was very small but I could better handle my coffee. Ever since we have been participating in competitions and won on 2003, the demand for our coffee has increased and we have obtained better prices. There is now a lot of people in foreign countries who are interested for our product. Nevertheless, this 2005 I am kind of frustrated, because I wanted to get the first prize, and at the same time I am motivated to participate in 2006 and be the firs. I want to improve every time and that way get the Bolivian coffee acknowledged worldwide. My short-term goal is to open a coffee shop where I can promote the specialty coffee of Bolivia. Quality Practices The ripe coffee cherry harvest is done manually, process in which the whole family intervenes. During the four months the harvest takes, from May to September, the coffee cherry is immersed in water in order to do the first selection of vain coffee beans. The pulping is done in a wooden pulper immediately alter the daily coffee collection is finished. The coffee is fermented during a period of 15 hours, after which the mucilage is separated. This coffee is manually washed with clean water coming from natural slopes that the mountains of the Bolivian Yungas region. The coffee drying is done on tables totally exposed to the sun.

Other Statistics:

Soil type : sandy clay loam Annual precipitation : 2.000 mm/year Shade type : Inga edulis, Citrus