How about the environment?  before any decision is made, we thoroughly think about the consequences.  The land that sustains the coffee plantation needs to be taken care off for future generations.  Enriching the soil through addition of composted pulp and biochar is not only sensible but fair to the environment.

Collaboration

How we collaborate?

We collaborate through the development of relationships instead of transactions.  We value the exchange of ideas that can lead to a better coffee.  Collaboration among other producers, mills, buyers, etc.  

For example, our latest collaboration led to the use of our coffee at the 2014 UKBC by barista Dale Harris, from Hasbean Coffee in the United Kingdom.  We worked with Dale through the year exchanging ideas and experimenting in order to produce a better quality coffee and enhance certain attributes for his espresso.  Such collaboration helps further our understanding of our coffee and our farm.

Fairness

How do we do it?

Behind great coffee, there is always great people.   We understand that our employees are ultimately the contributors to our final quality, which means we need to change their mindset towards the farm and their work.  We work together with our employees to create a shared vision for our coffee.  Thus, we have several initiatives in place to make sure that we treat our employees with fairness.  

• Full-time employment to our core group of employees, which takes away the uncertainty of a monthly pay for them. 
• Access to paid vacation, year-end bonus and severance as part of their full time employment.
• A salary 10% higher than required by law.
• Scheduled training on different topics related to the farm and personal health.
• Appropriate security equipment and measures.

Curiosity

Where does it lead?

Our curiosity has taken us to places we never expected.  Curiosity takes you on a journey that opens the mind to new experiences.  But, where will it lead?  We do not know.  That is the beauty of it.

All we know is where it has taken us.  Curiosity has led to:

• Harvesting by tablons (areas) in order to get a better sense of the different attributes from each area.
• Different processing methods ranging from natural to washed coffee.
• Development of a varietal garden.
• Several experiments with not so stellar results.

In a nutshell, it has pushed the level of our coffee and our understanding of it.