Overview

Fazenda Santa Helena II was acquired in 2003 by Cláudio Junqueira Ferraz de Almeida, a rural grower involved in the production of high-quality coffees and livestock, and also an entrepreneur in the civil construction industry. The property is a small parcel of the venerable Fazenda dos Criminosos. Since 2006 the entire farm has been rented to Luiz Cláudio, who, like his father Cláudio Junqueira, is committed to growing coffee.

The property is located in a region that has a very pleasant climate: annual rainfall averages 1,700 mm and the altitude ranges between 960 and 1,040 meters. Together with the fertility of the soil, these climatic and topographic conditions are favorable for growing coffee.

Fazenda Santa Helena II is managed by César Augusto Ferraz Junqueira, a cousin of Luiz Cláudio who has known the property for a long time. He receives technical assistance on the management of his crop from agricultural experts at the COCARIVE and Minas Gerais Extension Services (EMATER).

Always with environmental concerns in mind, the coffee seedlings are planted parallel to topographic contour lines with a view to preserving the soil. In addition to growing coffee, livestock-raising is another activity carried out on this property.

Coffee Processing System

Selective harvesting is practiced, with focus on the ripe cherries. Because of the topography, the cherries are picked by hand and collected on a cloth to keep them from touching the ground.

The same day the coffee is picked it is put through the mechanical washer using potable water. All the water used in the washers and pulpers is recycled: to reduce environmental impact, it is collected in settling tanks.

Next, the beans are pulped and then taken to concrete drying patios and spread out in thin layers, thus ensuring the quality of the final product. As part of the effort to produce high-quality coffees, the drying is done slowly and carefully in the sun.

After reaching the ideal degree of dryness, the coffee is taken to special silos made of and lined with wood, where it is held for 30 days. After this time, the lots are processed, bagged, and stocked at the Rio Verde Valle Regional Coffee Producers Cooperative (COCARIVE) in Carmo de Minas, ready for sale.

Commitment to Quality

The property is farmed sustainably, with the goal of leaving an environment for future generations that is that is no worse, and hopefully better, than it is today.

The owners are focused on quality from the time the seedlings are planted, selecting the best plants and the best soils with a view to producing sweet, full-bodied specialty coffees. Their goal is to constantly perfect the attributes of the coffees they produce. They attend meetings and presentations and visit other properties that share their technological know-how in the hope of making their product even better.