The Juan Café Association comprises 35 coffee-producing families in the villages of San Bernardo and San Juán de la China, in Tolima. The producers each farm on an average of 7 hectares, with about 5 hectares of their land planted in coffee: The total coffee land for the membership of the association is therefore around 250 hectares. The producers grow a mix of varieties, many of which are cultivars developed for productivity and disease-resistance, which allows them to focus on using organic practices such as nonchemical fertilizer and pest management on their land. In most cases, the association members are multi-generational coffee growers, and are dedicated to maintaining the traditions of their families.
The cofee is picked ripe, depulped on traditional machines, and fermented underwater for 18 hours before being washed and dried on raised beds for 10–12 days.
For more information about coffee production in Colombia, visit our Colombia Origin Page.
