Finca La Bugambilia

Guillermo Juarez has three farms: La Bugambilia, La Loma, and El Guatalón. The farms adjoin each other in the southeast regions the Santa Rosa Valley. Coffee from each of the farms is processed using the same facilities but kept separate throughout the entire process so that traceability is kept across the harvest. Guillermo is a third-generation farmer; his grandfather planted El Guatalón in the early 1900s with Typica and Mundo Novo. Guillermo’s father extended the farm and planted Pache, San Ramón and Catuaí. Guillermo, and agronomist by profession, has been responsible for introducing even more varietals, and alongside his son, Willy, he is now consolidating the areas planted and focusing on cultivars that do well in the current climate conditions in this area. This part of the region is hot and dry in comparison to other growing areas in Guatemala. Over the last few years, the dry season has been longer and hotter which has increased the stress burden on the trees. Some of the more traditional varietals like Caturra and Catuaí do not manage with the heat particularly well and will slowly start to be replaced with Pacamara, Geisha, Paraiso, Batian, SL 28 and H1.