When Hector’s father began to feel the weight of his years upon him, he divided his farm equally among his sons and granted each a hectare of their own. Hector and his brothers farmed as they had with their father for so many years before, but this time with a dual objective: to raise his children and to rebuild the family home.

Hector began his journey in the world of specialty coffee when he reflected upon how to make the best out of the land he inherited from his father. “I knew my coffee was really good, however, the prices I was paid were too low for the amount of work I put into it,” says Hector. He attended training given by local producer groups, ignoring their recommendation to cut down the Caturra and Común trees his father planted 50 years prior during a full moon. According to Hector, the altitude and the microclimate found on his farm have helped prevent the crop from leaf rust and coffee boer.

Like many coffee farmers in Colombia, the harvest time is a family effort, with children learning to pick the ripest cherries at an early age. “We raised our children by learning to work as a family unit,“ says Hector. He acknowledges how working together instilled values in his children while carrying on the family tradition.

Hector is a dedicated farmer with clear objectives. In 2001, he began a small producer’s association. He entered his coffee into a contest and received the first of many accolades, motivating him as he initiated as a specialty coffee farmer.

Municipality: La Plata

Department: Huila

Community: San Antonio

Farm: Finca Las Brisas

Altitude: 1810 MASL

Varietals: Caturra and Tabi

Process: Fully Washed

Fermentation Time: Mucilage (48 hours)

Drying: African drying beds

Drying Time: 20 days

Hectares: 3.5 hectares

Shade Trees: Avocado, cedar, guamo, yucca, maize, tangerine, orange, plantain, chachafruto