English
Čeština
PRODUCER
Urtiga, situated in Ilicínea within the Southern Minas Gerais region, is a coffee farm managed by Josias Cardoso. The farm, perched at an altitude of 1000 meters, spans 5 hectares and cultivates varieties such as Arara, Mundo Novo, and Paraiso.
The history of Urtiga is rooted in Josias Cardoso’s familial legacy. In 1987, his father, a truck driver, invested in the farm with aspirations of financing a new truck through coffee cultivation. Unfortunately, a downturn in coffee prices thwarted this plan, allowing only the purchase of truck tires with the proceeds. During this period, Josias, then a student, actively contributed to the farm’s operations. In the contemporary context, Josias oversees Urtiga in collaboration with a dedicated team. His focus extends beyond cultivation to encompass the enhancement of coffee quality and a commitment to environmental preservation. Notably, each coffee stand on the farm is named after native trees, underscoring Urtiga’s integration with its natural surroundings—Cedro, Ipê, Guatambu, among others.
PROCESSING
Coffees are dried in the sun on drying terraces, between 10 and 25 days. After the end of drying, when it reaches between 11.3 and 11.8% of humidity, the coffee is processed (removal of the dry husk) and taken to the COCATREL warehouse.
VARIETY
PRODUCER
Tumba Station is located in Rwanda’s Northern Province, in the Rulindo District. The farm itself, where this coffee comes from, is located on the outskirts of the town of Mukoto at an altitude of 1776 meters above sea level. It is relatively small, covering an area of 1,2 hectares.
The head of the Tumba processing plant is Vanuste Mugitaneza, who oversees its operation. His attention to detail makes Tumba one of the simplest and cleanest stations you meet. There are 12 year-round workers employed here, and an additional 95 pickers find work during the harvest season. Thanks to the favorable climate in the area, the station is open all year round, as the coffee ripens all year round.
In 2022, the station processed 290 000 kilograms of coffee cherries.
PROCESSING
After arriving at the station, the coffee cherries are placed in a vat of water to sort out unripe or defective fruit. The coffee is then peeled on mechanical peelers, from which it goes to washing and fermentation. The coffee is then washed again and dried on African beds.
VARIETY
Red Bourbon is a tall variety of coffee plants, characterized by relatively low production and susceptibility to disease and pests but excellent quality and flavor. Bourbon was introduced from Yemen to Brazil around 1860, and from there, it quickly spread north to other parts of South and Central America, where it is still grown today.
Here, the variety was mixed with other Bourbon-related varieties introduced from India and Ethiopian varieties. Today, many varieties are similar to Bourbon in East Africa, but none are exactly like the original Bourbon variety found in Latin America.
The Arara variety is a natural cross between Obatã and Yellow Catuai discovered in 1988 in the Parana region of Brazil by an agronomist named Francisco Barbosa Lima. The trees are productive and resistant to both drought and leaf rust, making the variety attractive from an agronomic perspective as well as presenting tasty characteristics in the cup.
