Buenavista - Colombia 2015 Verified listing

CoE 2015 Ranking: 21

Farm: Buenavista

Farmer: Yubely Ramírez Cruz

Birth Place & Date: Pitalito, Huila. July 8, 1959

Age: 55

Parents: Félix Ramírez – Aliria Cruz

Siblings: 7

Husband’s Name: Édgar Yony Melo

Children: 1

Academic Level: High School

Farm: Buenavista

Vereda (Rural District): Guadinosa

Corregimiento (Municipal Subdivision): Bruselas

Municipality: Pitalito

Department: Huila

Total Area Grown with Coffee: 5.23 ha

% planted with resistant varieties (Colombia y Castillo): 6%

% planted with susceptible varieties (Caturra): 94%

% of Young Technologically Advanced Coffee Plantations: 100%

Other farm crops: No

Post-harvest processing (“beneficio”): Traditional

Score at Cup of Excellence 2015: 86.28

Farmer’s Biography:

I was born on July 8, 1959 in Pitalito, Huila. My parents are coffee growers by birth in the rural district (“vereda”) of Hacienda Bruselas, in the Pitalito municipality. At the age of 12, I established my first clothing business in the village, as I have always liked businesses, a legacy from my parents. At 34, with the savings from my work, I bought what is now my coffee farm and since I have concentrated all my efforts on working this crop.

In 1994 I married my current partner and we joined efforts, working hard to improve every day in production of excellent-quality coffee.

My first and only son, Johan Sebastián Melo Ramírez, was born in 1999. He is now 16 years old; since he was born he has been instilled with a coffee culture. Very young, he completed high school and now is studying a technological career called Technology for Coffee and Ecological Production in the National Learning Service (Sena).

In 2000, with earnings from our marriage, we bought our house in the village and there is where we are currently living.

Now I am part of an associative group called "Café Andino", where various producers have joined efforts to improve our daily activities and market the product.

I have actively taken part in competitions. In 2013 I took part in Cup of Excellence, being ranked 14.  Our farm is currently certified with the Rainforest Alliance seal.

My dream is to continue improving quality of our product to be sustainable over time and taking part in quality competitions, until I find someone who likes my coffee very much to serve it as deserved.