Concepcion Pixcaya - Guatemala 2015 Verified listing

Farm:               Concepción Pixcaya
Farmer:            Concepción Pixcaya, S. A. / Manuel Zaghi Miron

The farm was bought by the Miron Family in 1926. Up to this moment, this is the 4th generation working on the farm. It was founded by MR. CARLOS MIRON ARMAS and MS. MARIA MUÑOZ DE MIRON. At the present time, MR. MANUEL ZAGHI MIRON and MS. MARIA CRISTINA MIRON CORDON DE ZAGHI work on it. What make it a unique farm is the ideal altitude with a cold weather perfect for harvesting macadamia, cypress forest, 4 varieties of pine; a great variety of trees brought from different parts of the world; native trees from Guatemala ; cultivation of avocado HAAS variety; and the most important crop is an excellent quality coffee.

There is one hired engineer specialized in forestry, another specialized in macadamia and avocado, and Mr. Manuel Zaghi, supervises 100% of the coffee production. The quality controls that are being employed are avoiding 100% the use of herbicides. An organic fertilizer via foliage is being used in its totality. Sometimes in the Macadamia and Avocado crops it is necessary to apply certain insecticides with its corresponding green seal. Before being acquired by the Mirón Family, this farm was owned by the Catholic Church and used by the Bishops Cortéz and Larraz when the Spaniards moved the City from Antigua Guatemala to the current valley. Before the 1976 earthquake, there was a majestic Spanish type house built by the Bishops that was completely destroyed by the earthquake.

Cut by hand, with a strict control in its maturing stage. Before the removal of pulp, beans are carefully selected in order to avoid pebbles or green beans within the matured coffee beans. It is a dry method of pulp removal; the processed waters are recycled and are placed in a pool in order to avoid any contamination of the environment. Then it enters a process of fermentation for 24 hours, it is washed and dried in fields. At the end, a point of humidity of 11 to 12% is given and then it is stored.

During all these years, tests with different varieties of coffee have been done, concluding that the only variety of coffee to cultivate is Bourbón, using the selected seed of the best plants in the farm.

Geographic characteristics:

• Location:                      San Juan Sacatepequez, Guatemala
• Area:                            460 ha.
• Altitude range:             6150 - 6200 feet
• Type of soil:                 Loamy-Clay
• Shade trees:                 Gravilea  

• Climatic characteristics:
  • Average temperature:   27°C
  • Annual rainfall:            1800mm
  • Relative humidity:        60% 

• Coffee production characteristics:                                                                           
  • Harvest season:            February to April
  • Drying process:            Sun
  • Mill:                             Wet
  • Annual production:      200(69-Kg bags)

• Certifications                                                                       
  • Cup of Excellence
  • Rainforest Alliance
• Contact:                                                                              
  • E-mail:             memezaghi@gmail.com