86+ Find: Juan Lopez Cortin (Costa Rica) Microlot Roast

The Boquete farm is owned and managed by the Lopes family. Juan has been growing coffee since he was 12. He learned about coffee from his father, who was also a coffee grower. He has been growing coffee for the past 33 years. He started as day laborer, eventually working his way up to farm owner and manager. He is assisted by his wife, Arilia, his son, David and his daughter Alexandra. His grandkids Matias and Zanira (both under five) are already becoming part of the family coffee tradition, too. Their farm is separated into eight "cortes", each about 1 hectare with a different variety.

During the harvest, the ripe coffee cherries are picked by hand by farm workers from Panama, who are paid above the market rate to maintain quality and get the best workers. The farm also produces, mainly for household consumption, yucca, beans, corn, bananas, guineo (mini bananas) oranges, and mandarins. The farm has its own cow which provides milk and the raw material for cheese and butter. The cow is "for the gasto" for the family expense, and provides also manure which is used as fertilizer.

Boquete has a Penagos micro mill, where the coffee is de-pulped. Unlike the great majority of coffee farmers, Juan and his family drink their own coffee and as he proudly explains: "negro sin azucar" (black without sugar) as part of their regular meals but also in combination wit arepas (corn breads).

Please enjoy this YouTube video tour of the farm that Juan and his family specially prepared for Invalsa. This is our first purchase form Juan, and we plan to develop this relationship for many years to come.