San Lazaro is nestled in the Sierra de la Botija forest, named in 2017 a UNESCO world heritage site due to its biodiversity.  Four varieties of coffee are grown there, mainly caturra and catimor, which is grown in rich volcanic soil at high elevation with just the right amount of shade and sun to inform its flavor.

This farm is unique in that the agronomist team is led by and made up of women farmers.  Their natural maternal instincts provide vigilant attention to the trees’ well-being, the gentility needed at harvest time to pick ripened berries without damaging the stem for next year’s growth, and the patience to comb the entire farm up to four times during the harvest to pick the berry at the perfect point of maturity to provide the most flavor.

They are proud to provide employment to more than twenty women raising their families on this beautiful mountain.  For these women, prior to working on the farm, coffee had always been their heritage, but it had never been a viable livelihood.  Because of the commitment to the people behind the coffee bean, the agronomists are paid above established fair wages, effectively uniting heritage and livelihood again on the mountain.

FARM

Fair-Trade Equiv., Herbicide & Pesticide free (all organic practices)