Las Hortensias - Washed

Pictures of Las Hortensias Farm

Las Hortensias farm is named after the hydrangea flowers found on the property. Owned by Ana María Albir Sotomayor for over 50 years through family inheritance, the farm is located in the Buenos Aires community, Dipilto, Nueva Segovia. The farm spans 2.82 hectares with an average yield of 18 quintals of coffee per hectare. It sits at an altitude of 1300 meters and cultivates Catimor, Red Catuaí, Parainema, and Maracaturra varieties on sandy loam soils. The harvest season extends from November to March. Las Hortensias employs one permanent worker and hires 15 additional workers during the harvest and processing periods.

The Hortensias lot is cultivated at altitudes between 1200 and 1300 meters on a 1.5-hectare plot. The farm uses eco-friendly practices, providing shade with forest species, fruit trees, and bananas. Low-intensity pesticides (green labels), natural fertilizers, and synthetic fertilizers are utilized. Regular pruning and shade management improve plant health, and only ripe cherries are manually harvested.

After selection, the cherries are floated and depulped, then fermented for 18 to 24 hours before being washed with clean water. The coffee is transported in plastic bags and macen sacks to the processing facility, ensuring cleanliness throughout the journey. At the dry mill, the coffee is dried on African beds under covered structures (micro-tunnels), never touching the ground. PVC rakes are used for movement, maintaining cleanliness. Once dried, the coffee is stored separately in designated areas within the warehouse, always in new plastic bags and macen sacks. The coffee is then rested for about a month, hulled, classified, and packed in jute sacks and Ecotact bags for export, adhering to ICO standards.

Las Hortensias farm supports various social and environmental initiatives, promoting sustainability in all aspects. Farmers are paid based on the quality of their coffee, with a premium for well-processed parchment coffee.

Las Hortensias farm exemplifies a commitment to sustainable coffee farming, quality production, and community support, ensuring a prosperous future for Nicaraguan coffee.