Description
- Origin: Brazil
- Region: State of Sao Paolo
- Town: Socorro
- Farm: Fazenda Fronteira
- Farmer: Ellen Fontana
- Crop: 2023
- Altitude: 1350m
- Variety: Yellow Catuaí, Mundo Novo, Obatã, Yellow Bourbon
- Processing: Natural
Note from our supplier This Side Up:
When we met Ellen, we were instantly drawn by her passion and humble commitment to coffee, its processes, and the environment. She is the fifth generation of coffee growers in her family, but most of what she now knows and applies to the field she learned by herself and through the technical assistance that Capricornio offers. When her grandfather passed, and she found herself in charge of the estate, she wondered, “how can I do this right?” and so the adventure began.
With her minimum interference approach, Ellen has been creating quite an impact in her region. Of the 100 hectares that conform her estate, for instance, only 23 are for coffee, which grows intermingled with banana, avocado, and eucalyptus. Together with some neighbors and supporting organisations, she’s preserving a forest of around 70 000 trees while looking after the river and creating alternative economic sources for the farmers, such as honey. She’s managed to reduce water use and avoid pesticides altogether.
Ellen entered the specialty coffee market in 2013 and has since experienced steady growth that hasn’t come without challenges, such as last year’s frost. “It was truly exceptional,” Ellen shares “the wind burned very randomly, without a specific logic or order”. About 10% of her trees died. “Climate adversities are something we simply need to live with. Every year, there’s something new to face, a new challenge,” she says. Perhaps because of these reasons, her commitment to preserving the environment is so substantial.
A video from WWF about her efforts
Our coffee comes in craft paper bags which contain a plastic liner on the inside to guarantee freshness of our coffee. Please dispose properly at your local plastic trash container. The Village Coffee is roasted fresh every week, and best consumed within four weeks after roast date. Store your coffee in a dry, dark and cool place, avoid the fridge.
