Description
Farms name and location:
In the buffer zone of the LA TIGRA national park located in the Chinacla community, in the Valle de Angeles municipality, Francisco Morazan, a tourist town 25 kilometers from Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital. It is located at an altitude of 1520-1600 meters above sea level. What is your farms history? Is your farm a family unit? How long has it belonged to your family? How many members make up your family? This was farm was established in 2003, buying the land lots from several owners were different crops were grown. My wife Reina Mercedes Castaneda is the granddaughter of Max Drawer (R.I.P.), who was one of the first persons to take coffee cultivation to Marcala, La Paz; always had the passion for coffee and developed all type of activities to grow coffee of the Catuai variety in the property known today as LOS AGAPANTOS.It is a family unit in which several farmers families depend on especially one LENCA family, expert on coffee cultivation and who learned from the Drawer family in Marcala, La Paz, Honduras . How many persons work in your farm, family members, permanent employees and temporary employees? All my family gets involved in the farms activities, we have a Lenca family permanently, a father with his family and wife, two children, two permanent employees and from 20 to 30 pickers during the harvest and we hire around 6 workers during greenhouse planting and cleaning and farm maintenance.
What natural resources conservation practices do you follow in the farm? 1 The coffee is grown under the shade of forest trees, besides planting in curves at level to minimize the erosion of the soil.
2 There is waste water management treatment for the milling process, with an oxidation pond so the water returns without pollution to the rivers.
3 There is solid waste management treatment with composting process.
4 Individual terraces.
5 - Live barriers and draining canals.
6 - The destruction of flora and fauna is prohibited and its protection is favored.
7 - Pruning and clearing of weeds on order to protect against forest fires in the property. What is the shade percentage and the varieties found in your farm? The farm is 60% under the shade and we use inga species trees. What type of fertilization process do you use in your farm? I generally use organic fertilization and compost, and once a year I also use chemical fertilization, after undergoing a soil analysis and getting feedback from the soil analysis lab from IHCAFE.What type of management do you use in your farm (traditional, semi-technical, technical?)The management of the farm is semi-technical, with little use of chemical products. We use cultural practices in order to control plagues and diseases in a sustainable manner.
Are you part of an association or cooperative? I am a member of Cooperativa Mixta San Juancito Limitada (COMISAJUL), located in San Juancito, Valle de Angeles.
What is the secret for winning this competition (describe the preparation process of the competing lot)?1 The geographical location of my farm.
2 Good planting, harvesting and milling practices3- Harvesting coffee at the optimum ripeness and for the competing lot we only chose coffee from the intermediate pick. 4- Good storage.
5 - We keep a clean mill.
6 - We give our workers an economic incentive so they perform their duties well. How does it feel to be a winner of the Cup of Excellence? I feel lucky to have been awarded an important place in the Cup of Excellence competition, besides this allows me to establish a process of constant improvement in my farm and with my employees.
Who prepares your coffee for exportation? (Explain how you sell it and to whom)We negotiate the parchment coffee with local exporters.
What is your opinion of the Cup of Excellence? 1 It benefits the grower.
2 It motivates growers and promotes the quality of our coffee.
3 It is one of the best activities to promote Honduran coffee.
4- It is an activity that encourages the coffee sector.
What has been your experience in the Cup of Excellence? Its the fifth time I participate, in 2006 I classified for the online auction in the 26th place, while in 2008 I classified in 25th place and I sold my coffee 2.15 and 3.61 US$/pound. This year 2012 I won 11th place.
Farm Information
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Farm NameLos Agapantos
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FarmerRafael De Jesús Chinchilla
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Altitude1570
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Farm Size20
Score
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Score87.09
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Rank11
Lot Information
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Year2012
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Processing SystemWet Process sun dried in solar dryers
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VarietyCatuai
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Overallvery smooth
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Aroma / FlavorAROMA: cranberry, rose, raspberry, jasmine,FLAVOR: coffee blossom, honey, yellow plum, tangerine, lime
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Acidityrefined, juicy, grapefruit, citric