FAZENDA TIJUCO PRETO is located on a tableland at 1140 meters from the sea level, in South Minas Gerais. With its high quality lands and privileged topography that allows the use of tractors for the plantations up keeping. The property has crystal clear water sources, native forests and a waterfall, which are totally preserved. It is at a distance of 4km for the city of Carmo de Minas, with easy access by a paved road, it has one of the most beautiful landscapes of the region.

The total area of the farm is 346 hectares, 70 of which are used for coffee plantations of the MUNDO NOVO, ACAIÁ, and CATUAÍ, ICATU AND YELLOW BOURBON varieties. Production capacity is being expanded and the results are one of the best coffees of Brazil.

Coffee growing in the property has been a tradition for generations in the family, having been transferred from the great-grandfather to the great-grandson, and which will remain with the future heirs. The experiences lived by Otacílio Dias de Castro, the current owner, added to his willingness to expand, learn and adapt to the new project concept are also transferred to his son, Antônio Márcio Pereira de Castro.

Many were the obstacles experiences by both of them, and will plenty of will power, perseverance in their business, father and son planted new fields, surpassed discouragement, recognized the strength of coffee, the abundance and magnitude of the land and God's mercy in providing them with very fertile soils. With blessing from Heaven they move ahead, longing for space in a globalized and competitive world.

Coffee processing system

The coffee beans are picked manually and selectively, generating many jobs at the time of harvesting. The beans are transported to the farm's main house on the same day they are picked, are washed and pulped, and immediately after distributed on the terraces in thin layers, which become thicker as the beans become drier. Coffee is turned over an average of 20 times a day, until the beans reach 11% humidity, when they are stored in bins, in pergamino, and rest for approximately 60 days. After processing the coffee is deposited in COCARIVE to be commercialized.

Concern with quality

The owners and employees of FAZENDA TIJUCO PRETO are committed to what they do and happy to work in the coffee plantations, from planting to harvesting, to produce coffees with distinct tastes and flavors.

Antônio Márcio Pereira de Castro took part in the quality contest promoted by IVPA (Agência de Valorização de Produtos Agrícolas) [Agricultural Products Enhancement Agency], an association connected to French agribusiness, with headquarters in Paris, representing COCARIVE (Cooperativa dos Cafeicultores de Carmo de Minas) [Coffee Growers Cooperative of Carmo de Minas], where it received the silver medal - "La Médaille d'Argent" -, equivalent to the second prize in the Natural Arabica Coffee category.