Colombia Finca Puerto Alegre

Finca Puerto Alegre is divided into parcels that are located in the mountains surrounding the town of Pijao. The main plot sits in the foothills and has a stream passing through. The mill, lab and main house are all located on this plot. Several hectares of Java variety coffee are planted on this plot. Further up the mountain, the Castillo, Mocha/Moka and Geisha varieties are each planted on their own designated plots. The nursery is also located among these higher plots. Currently, they are cultivating several varieties of Bourbon seedlings, including a variety called Aji that originated in Southern Huila.

Coffee at Puerto Alegre is shade grown and has been since their patriarch, Don Moises, made the decision to maintain his shade cover in the 1970s, when many other producers were transitioning to full sun exposure. Although full sun generates higher yields, Don Moises was a strong believer in sustainability (before sustainability was a “thing”) and did not want to damage the environment with use pesticides and fertilizers for higher yields.

Today, Leucaena (river tamarind) is the main shade tree planted on the farm. The tree’s roots fix nitrogen and, since it sheds its leaves every 3 months, a great source of biomass for producing organic fertilizer. This periodic shedding also reduces pruning costs.

Due to weather patterns, Finca Puerto Alegre produces coffee year-round. The Lopez family fertilizes and prunes trees on a regular schedule to keep plants healthy and productive.