Just one quarter of Tony’s property is planted with coffee- the rest is native forest, protected by Tony and monitored by the government who support Tony financially to protect native flora and fauna. Similarly, the water Tony uses for processing comes from the farm and is protected. The forest on his farm is certified by the National Institution of Protection of Forests (INAB). He farms 64 manzanas of coffee: half in Caturra, half in Borbon, much of the latter is currently re-growing after pruning. In 2019, he planted 5,000 Gesha plants, as well as some Pacamara. In fact, this is the first year we have been able to purchse his Gesha and Pacamara varieties.

He has planted many native leguminous shade trees, called Chalum, while also managing shade with pine and cedar trees as well. He prunes his shade trees only during the full moon, when plant fluids are concentrated in lower plant parts and roots, meaning that the pruning cuts to retard growth are more effective. His soils have large rocks and boulders which protect from erosion, and his farm is home to lots of native squirrels, rabbits and snakes.

Tony is a fourth generation grower, twenty years in himself. In the past, he had sold coffee in cherry, like the vast majority of Guatemala’s small producers, and less than 10 years ago started drying his coffee to sell parchment at differentiated prices. He has five daughters, and he is able to put them all through university thanks to selling specialty coffee. Selling parchment at differentiated prices has allowed Tony to give his daughters opportunities he never had himself. Tony is hoping to be able to purchase a guardiola- a mechanical dryer- for more even drying, and to be less dependent upon weather and patio space. Tony has given the upper part of his farm to members of the local indigenous community who work on his farm.