Finca El Troje

Juan Diego and Maria Elena started El Troje in 2010 and live on the farm with their three children. Juan Diego manages the property and the growing at El Troje while Maria Elena takes care of the processing and drying. Their micro-beneficio and fermentation tanks are kept incredibly clean, and both believe that the key to achieving the potential in their coffee is dependent on immaculate processing and drying conditions. In the last few years, they have installed a small irrigation system for the coffee which has helped through droughts. They also grow coriander for seeds, mandarins, oranges, corn, yucca, plantain and granadilla - maximising all available growing spaces on the three-hectare farm. Like many people who work in the agricultural business, Juan Diego has been trying to adapt to the changes in the rainy and dry seasons. Trees that did well in previous years have been struggling recently and are being replaced over the next few years with different varietals. Planting different varietals can change the balance of the flavour profile over time so it is only done to correct a problem; either the farmer wants to modify the cup profile, or the previously chosen varietal isn’t performing as expected. In this case some of the Caturra plants are not doing well in terms of productivity and quality. They will be replaced with Castillo as this varietal tolerates more environmental stress.