Fazenda Paraíso - Brazil 2019 Verified listing

History of the farm

Jorge is a civil engineer who industrial earthmoving, mining and roads. He began planting coffee in 1992 with the objective of producing a coffee differentiated for its quality. His first harvest was in 1994, a year in which there was a frost in the coffee belt. There were no problems with the cold at Fazenda Paraíso, however. This gave Jorge the confidence to continue investing in processing the coffees with the best technology available at the time.

In 1994, Jorge dedicated himself completely to coffee, studying production and quality. He took countless trips to get to know other properties and year after year improved the productivity and quality of the coffee produced on the farm. The farm was thus transformed into a “paradise,” as it already had all necessary conditions to produce one of the best coffees in Brazil.

In 2004, Jorge launched a thickened coffee project as he had noted that shade-grown coffees tasted better than full-sun ones. He created shade in the fields themselves; 50% (320 ha) is planted thicker and the other 50% uses traditional spacing.

To use the thickening system, various conditions must be combined, such as: good topography, good physical soil quality, dry weather during the harvest, abundant, high-quality water for irrigation, appropriate varietals, good soil preparation, crop care for high production, pruning, countless adaptation to machinery and tools, as machines for thickened planting did not exist on the market. That is, cutting-edge technology and knowledge is needed.

As for the harvest, with the project begun last year (in July and August) together with plot irrigation seeking uniform flowering by plot, it was possible to begin picking earlier, in May, and to finish in June.

With all this technology, it is possible to reach 70 bags per hectare, and Jorge intends to increase productivity further.

The farm is certified by Rainforest Alliance and Certifica Minas, enabling complete traceability of the coffee. However, the most important concept is that which the farm follows: to produce with responsibility, quality, safety and sustainability.

Coffee processing system

This coffee lot was harvested selectively. The first pass picked only coffee from the tips of the branches, about 20%. The second pass harvested coffee from the body of the coffee tree, about 60% of the total. Finally, the third pass picked the remaining cherries. In this way, it is possible to pulp the maximum quantity of coffee in the shortest amount of time. All of the coffee was washed, pulped and separated and then went to the patio to dry. Drying was finished in mechanical dryers with rigorous temperature control. Coffee cherries that fall to the ground and processed separately, thus avoid the chance that they mix with high-quality lots. After drying, the coffees were taken to rest boxes where they are kept for as long as possible. Again, coffees that had fallen to the ground are separated from other lots. Finally, the coffee was taken for processing, separated by screen size, density and electronically, resulting in more uniform lots.

Concern about quality

Practices such as maintaining underbrush between rows of coffee trees, using only brushes, are employed. This allows the farm to keep the underbrush as the desired height, reducing the need for irrigation, fertilization and pesticides.

Trees have been planted in preserved areas each year, seeking an improvement to the flora and fauna that increase each year.

The farm participates in projects together with regional communities. It also offers monthly premiums to its workers in addition to among the highest wages in the region.

Jorge strives to continually improve the productivity and quality of the coffees. He began working with coffee thinking to produce the best quality and for his son and successor, Renato Barakat, who is already becoming involved with the farm.

In conclusion, Jorge says “I’m not putting the farm up for sale or anything like that, it is my home and the home of future generations. I intend to make it the best place to live, as this farm is a paradise.”