Guatemala | Erwin Argueta

Region: Huehuetenango, Guatemala Process: Washed Variety: Caturra & Bourbon Altitude: 1,450-1,550 masl We Taste: Persimmon, Apple, Praline Erwin is a third generation coffee farmer and is highly motivated and curious with his work. Despite climate change, low local market prices, and production challenges, he has prioritized quality- upgrading processing equipment, hiring technical experts to advise on ecological management, and working to be a good steward of the land. He is actively involved with the Cup of Excellence and won 2nd place for one of his lots from last year's harvest. This is our first year purchasing his coffee, but we are already looking to buy his coffee again from this year's harvest. In the cup we're finding a soft citrus acidity that reminds us of ripe persimmons, alongside sweet praline and apple flavors. Erwin manages the farm without the use of herbicides, preferring to manage weeds with a machete to protect the soil from erosion and to preserve beneficial microbial populations in the soil. He uses natural traps to catch coffee borer beetles, and uses a leaf spray to protect against coffee leaf rust. He has natural water treatment wells that he uses to treat the washing water in three phases to make sure that he’s not polluting his soil with acidic waste-water. He’s also working with the local council on an agro-forestry project to conserve native trees on his farm. Erwin has experimented a couple of times with making his own worm compost fertilizer, but has not yet had success, which is evidence that the transition to fully organic practices is often not an easy, nor quick process. Rather, it takes time and experimentation as soil needs time to recover and adjust. Rapid and drastic changes risks crop failure. Though the transition is labor intensive, we believe it can give producers more autonomy and protection as they aren't dependent on chemical inputs with ever increasing costs and ultimately leaves them with more robust and disease resistant trees. Erwin's current commitment to regenerative practices is very impressive and we want to continue supporting him in this work by continuing to purchase his coffee in the future. Processing on the farm is traditional and not highly technified. He floats the cherries to remove the over- and under-ripe cherries, and then pulps the coffee, and ferments it in an open tank (protected by a roof providing shade) for about 18 hours before washing the coffee and sorting it through channels and drying it on his patio. He’s been experimenting with a few other processes as well, processing both honey and natural lots and drying them on raised beds. He recently upgraded his fermentation tank from a wooden tank to a recently installed cement tank, and he recently fixed up his washing channels to include ceramic tiles, which make it easier to keep clean. Our Total Cost: coming soon Packaging, labor, and weight loss: coming soon Green Price: $6.88/lb FOB Price: farmgate + tranpsort to mill paid for by Shared Source Farm Gate Price: 2,350 quetzales per quintal (100 pounds of parchment) Importer: Shared Source *We roast on Tuesdays and ship the following day; order deadline is 7:00 am Tuesday morning; local pick-up orders will be ready on Fridays after roasting