BACKGROUND

Ildefonso is a member of Los Guácharos, our favourite and longest standing group relationship in Colombia. Though he comes from a coffee producing family (he started working on the family farm alongside his father when he was 12 years old), Ildefonso had to save up to buy his farm from his uncle. He’s proud to have 5 hectares of coffee planted on his 19 hectares of land, the balance retained and treasured as forest reserve.

Ilde also operates “Vivero Cordoba” (his coffee seed nursery) in Bruselas, which is wildly successful based on his excellent seed selection.

PROCESSING:

For his borbon aji, via his team, Ildefonso first ferments the cherries in closed drums (with off gassing valves) for 40 to 70 hours depending on the ripeness of the cherries. After being de-pulped, the coffee is fermented again, for about 70 hours, this time submerged in water to which the juice from the cherry fermentation has been added, also in closed, valved containers. The number of hours depends on the cherries and the weather. The coffee then receives just one wash during which the empty seeds/floaters are removed.

PRICING TRANSPARENCY:
We purchase parchment coffee directly from Los Guacharos members, and pesos are transferred straight to the association’s bank account upon receipt of parchment at our chosen mill. We pay for transport from Bruselas to the dry mill. We paid Ildefonso $$5,000,000 pesos per carga (125 kilos of parchment coffee, this is the unit farmers sell their coffee in) for these lots.  For context, here is a link to the daily carga market price:  https://www.federaciondecafeteros.org/static/files/precio_cafe.pdf