El Porvenir - El Salvador 2007 Verified listing

Overview

El Porvenir has been in the Pullinger Avila family for over four generations since 1916 when it was bought by Ramon Avila who, in 1927, passed the farm to his niece Margoth Avila de Pullinger.
Beginning in 1952, Roberto C. Pullinger, son of Margoth, assumed the position of manager of the farm increasing productivity to a high of more than 3,400 quintals while maintaining an average production of 2,000 quintals per year from 1965-1980. The Civil War which was fought the hardest in the eastern section of the country, directly impacted the coffee production in El Porvenir as yearly production dropped to a mere 300 quintals average for the years 1985-1990.In 1990, Adilia de Pullinger, wife of Roberto, became manager of the farm and fervently started the process of reconstruction with the goal of reclaiming the areas of the farm that had been abandoned during the war. Her perseverance and hard work in conjunction with that of her children and the farm workers, allowed for an increase in production nearly reaching the pre-war prosperity. The revitalization of the production is a direct result of the close-knit Pullinger family and the good relation that it has had with its workers and the surrounding community for nearly 90 years. More than 40 families depend on the farm, four of whom live on the farm property.
The family is committed to sustainable practices of cultivation; they use a minimal amount of chemicals and try to implement traditional methods of production that will provide the most benefits to the surrounding villages with minimal impact to the flora and fauna. This commitment to quality and sustainability has enabled El Porvenir to seek Rainforest Alliance Certification and, concomitant with this certification, to enjoy the seal of quality that marks the coffee of El Porvenir in international forums.
Ever conscious of the social impact of coffee farming, the Pullinger family is concerned with the wellbeing of surrounding villages and tries to implement systems to contribute to the social and economic welfare of the people who work on the farm. El Porvenir organizes Christmas celebrations for children, has donated land to create a dispensary for the community, has created a soccer field and is constantly thinking of ways to improve education and healthcare. Gender also factors into these social goals as the Pullinger family promotes gender equality by offering women the possibility of working on the farm.
With the eagerness of being recognized as producers of a high quality product, the Pullinger familiy decided to participate in the Cup of Excellence in 2005. This year the sample was taken from a section called Las Nubes (The Clouds) planted with Pacamara that has been cultivated for the past 5 years in a plot of 4.2 hectares. The family instructed more than 100 pickers in how to properly cut the cherries at the optimal state of maturity. This attention to detail and the educational component of the farms harvest process contributed to winning the Cup of Excellence this year.
Having been chosen by the Cup of Excellence as a winning farm opens many opportunities for promoting and marketing their product. These increased opportunities will allow for more investment not only directed toward the production of better coffee but also to be used in more projects that will ensure the quality of life for the surrounding communities.
The long term vision of Dona Adilia is to continue to improve coffee production while ever mindful of issues of sustainability. Dona Adilia sees these goals as being complementary and truly believes that the search for a better product will also provide a better standard of living for those that work on the farms.
Finally, the recognition that comes from having won the Cup of Excellence and from being a part of Rainforest Alliance demonstrates the quality of the coffee produced at El Porvenir. This sense of recognition is a point of pride for Dona Adilia and provides the consumer with the guarantee that when they drink a cup of coffee from El Porvenir they are drinking the best.

Other Statistics:

Coffee varieties: Bourbón, Pacas & Pacamara
Type of Shade: Pepeto, Gravileo, Rosario, cedar, etc.
Average Annual Rainfall: 2,500 mm
Average Temperature: 18º C
Type of Soil: Clay loam
Annual Production: (60kg) 800 bags
Mill and company where lot was process: Beneficio Oromontique, Unex S.A. de C.V.
Fauna: Armadillo, Squirrel, gray fox, etc.

GPS Coordinates:

Latitude: N 13° 28’ 21.17’’
Longitude: W 88° 20’ 31.05’’