Description

Guatemala produces some of the world’s finest and most distinctive coffees. The country’s unique coffee producing regions have gained a positive and well known reputation in the industry. Coffee is Guatemala’s number one export contributing to the country’s growing economic status.

Finca La Bolsa was bought by Jorge Vides, a distinguished medical professional, in 1958. Prior to this, the land was not used for coffee production. Jorge won numerous awards for coffee production and for his services to the Huehuetenango region, and the main hospital in the coffee-growing community was named after him. In 2002, La Bolsa competed in the Cup of Excellence competition and placed second, scoring 94.98.

La Bolsa sits between two mountains, which provide a very stable, humid microclimate. Combined with the limestone-rich soils, this gives the coffee a unique profile, with a rich, syrupy body and plenty of malic and citric acidity. Coffee is fermented for between 18 and 24 hours, then cleaned of mucilage, graded in channels, and soaked overnight.

La Bolsa is RFA-certified and follows C.A.F.E Practices guidelines. Coffee Care funded the construction of a school and nursery on the farm, staffed with fully trained, full-time teachers. All temporary and permanent staff have access to schooling for their children, and they are incentivized to leave their children at school or nursery through food donations. When a child attends school or nursery for five consecutive days, the family receives a weekly supply of rice, beans, and corn.

Before this food ration scheme, it was difficult to persuade parents to leave their children in the care of others, as schooling was not always valued and there was greater pressure to earn money to feed the family. As a result of the program, there are now no children working on the farm, and the school and nursery classes are full.

Accommodation is provided for both permanent and temporary workers, with separate facilities for men, women, and families, as well as bathrooms and kitchens. Sections of the farm are designated as conservation areas to promote biodiversity, reduce wind exposure, and prevent soil erosion. Inga trees are used as shade trees and to fix nitrogen in the soil, which is essential for plant and cherry growth. Renardo also operates an expansive composting program to make use of waste products, using red worms.