Description

Finca El Principio – Colombia

Finca El Principio is located in the El Carmelo district, in the municipality of Palestina, at 1,750 meters above sea level. It has a total area of 4 hectares, 3 of which are cultivated with coffee. The project is led by Numar Erney López Gómez, a coffee farmer with more than 30 years of experience who has made coffee production the center of his life and the livelihood of his family.

The farm focuses on specialty coffees, with agronomic management geared towards quality. The varieties cultivated are Bourbon Rosado and Caturra, the latter renewed about five years ago to improve productivity and bean quality. The harvest takes place between May and December, a period in which each lot is carefully harvested and selected.

More than a farm, El Principio reflects the daily effort of a family that has found in coffee a way to make a living and also a way to preserve its traditions and share its origin in every cup.

Numar Erney López Gómez

Numar Erney López Gómez is a 57-year-old coffee farmer, born in the department of Putumayo, who has dedicated a large part of his life to coffee cultivation. He started in coffee farming at the age of 15 and acquired the experience and knowledge that are now reflected in the quality of his production.

Due to the violence that plagued his home region, Numar and his family migrated to Huila in search of new opportunities and a place to continue their life project centered around coffee. Today, he works alongside his wife and four children at the El Principio farm in Palestina, where they strengthen the family's coffee-growing tradition.

With over 30 years of experience, Numar has focused its efforts on high-quality coffees, cultivating varieties such as Bourbon Rosado and Caturra under the privileged climatic conditions of Huila. Their dedication has resulted in a production that reflects the authenticity and richness of Huila's coffee-growing tradition.

Prosecution

The harvesting is selective: only ripe cherries are picked, which then undergo a water flotation process to remove floating and defective fruit. After pulping, the coffee ferments for 24 hours in pre-fermented mucilage, inside hermetically sealed barrels that allow for greater control over the process and promote the development of sensory attributes.

Once fermentation is complete, the coffee is dried on drying racks for about 15 days, until it reaches the appropriate moisture level. Afterward, the beans rest for another 15 days to stabilize before final storage.