Peñitas - Colombia 2015 Verified listing

Ranking: 10

Farm: Peñitas

Farmer: Alfredo Baos Joaqui

Birth Place & Date: San Sebastián, Cauca, January 1st, 1966

Age: 49 years old

Parents: Argemiro Baos (d) & Alicia Joaqui

Siblings: 7

Wife’s Name: Elcira Hoyos Hoyos

Children: 2

Academic Level: Primary School

Farm Name: Peñitas

Vereda (Rural District): Sinaí

Corregimiento (Sub-division): no

Municipality: Palestina

Department: Huila

Total Area Grown with Coffee: 0.98 hectares

% planted with resistant varieties (Colombia & Castillo): 0%

% planted with susceptible varieties (Caturra): 100%

% of Young Technologically Advanced Coffee Plantations: 100%

Other farm crops: no

Post-harvest processing (“Beneficio”): natural fermentation

Drying: in the sun (“casa elba” roof system)

Score at Cup of Excellence 2015: 87.58

Certifications: RFA, UTZ, FLO, 4C

Farmer’s Biography

Note: the producer owns the San Isidro farm. The lot submitted to the COE contest comes from the Peñitas deed, a lot adjacent to the farm where he lives and processes coffee.

Every morning that I wake up, I go and I sit on a bench and, drinking a cup of coffee, I thank God for all the blessings I have received and that now fill me with happiness, as I am within the best coffees. This is thanks to the values I was taught by my parents from San Sebastián, Cauca.

My father Argemiro Baos, who died at 74 and now I remember, always taught me to work, be honest, responsible and strive to fulfill my dreams, no matter the sacrifices I had to make. My mother Alicia Joaqui Hoyos is a blessed woman, very proud of her 8 children.

On January 1^st, 1966, I was born in San Sebastián, Cauca. I lived my childhood and studied in El Chilco rural district and at 18 years old I decided to get in a “chiva” (bus) to go to the city of Popayán to work and I started as a picker; that was in 1985. In 1987 I was told about the coming harvest in the department of Huila, more specifically in the municipality of Palestina, and without knowing anything about, I took a shuttle and continued as a picker. So I worked on two farms in the region. I was also a day laborer. In 1990 a farmer from the Sinaí rural district proposed me to be a “partijero” (worker-partner) of his farm and I accepted. Six years later we negotiated and I remained as the owner of the San Isidro farm, with a total area of 8.1 hectares and 5.52 ha in coffee, with the Tabi and Caturra varieties. I also have sugar cane and pastures.

In my trips I have been accompanied by my wife Elcira Hoyos, someone who supports me, is very devoted to family, home and the two children she gave me and who always accompany us: Luis Alfredo Bahos Hoyos and María Fernanda Bahos Hoyos.

Mr. Orlando Sánchez is a great person and suggested me to participate with my coffee in Cup of Excellence 2008. For me it was at the beginning something unattainable, but he insisted so much that I took part. I did not reach the auction, but I managed to be a finalist and I was encouraged. In 2010 I took part again, but the hardest thing was to travel to Santa Marta by aircraft, which was another experience of my life, but I did very well, I was ranked 9^th and my coffee was very well paid. In 2013 I was 6^th. I also competed with a lot in Garzón, Huila, and I was 3^rd, and so in Pitalito and now, in CoE 2015 I was ranked 10^th, with a score of 87.58 and waiting for the auction.

This is not difficult, it is to do things well and with love. I implement good agricultural practices in my crop, handpick mature cherries, give them a good processing and drying. I grow the Tabi variety on the farm, but at the auction I am with the Caturra variety. Well, I’ll keep working and improving to reach the first place with the help of God and my family. And you are always welcome in my farm.