Overview

Finca Santa Josefita is owned by Ernesto Ramón Lima, representing Lima y Socios (partnership). The farm is located in Ataco, Ahuachapán one of the most traditional coffee regions in El Salvador. The average altitude is 1,275 meters above sea level, ranging from 1,200 to 1,400 meters. Recent average annual production ise around 700 60kg bags. The farm has mainly Bourbon, Pacamara, Pacas and Kenya varieties, some other varietals are being tested but without importance in the total area.

The estate has been grown to coffee since 1940, expanding little by little over time; one part of the property has been devoted to keeping the natural forest and wildlife reserve. Hunting within the farm is not allowed, as they are committed to help preserve and propagate wild species. According to the farm supervisor, there’s a very big cat that has been seen near the farm, many call it “El tigre” or Tiger, and even if it’s almost impossible that it is a real “tiger”, they had found tracks of a very big feline, and they have been seeing it more and more over time. He says that it probably lives near one cave close to the property or inside the dense forest.

The farm coffee trees average between 10 to 15 years old and vast shade coverage is provided by native trees to the area. Coffee trees are managed under selective and semi-bent stem, pruning, some areas are stump pruned if really needed. The farm has many watersheds and one river, which is the beginning of the Copinula River that reaches the Pacific Ocean.

The lot participating in this year’s CoE comes from “Tablón 2”, it was handpicked during two weeks and hand sorted after the harvest was also performed to avoid any immature and green coffee on the lot. They employ 15 permanent workers and up to 150 people during harvest time. There are 4 families living within the farm.

Santa Josefita ranked 22nd at the Cup of Excellence of 2007, with the money resulting from the premium paid plus their own savings, they invested $14,000 to bring potable water and fix the housing facilities of the people living on the farm. The lima family decided to mill Santa Josefita coffee at their own mill called Serbia, near the beautiful lake of Coatepeque. Keeping tight traceability controls for these coffees is also very high on the priorities of the Lima family.

Additional information:
Coffee varieties: Bourbon, Pacas, Pacamara, Kenya
Type of Shade: Pepeto, Inga Sp., copalchí, níspero, gravileo, aguacate, naranjos, etc.
Average Annual Rainfall: 3,000 mm
Average Temperature: 15º C
Type of Soil: Clay loam
Annual Production: (60kg) 750 bags
Mill and company where lot was process: Serbia Mill
Other land: Natural forest
Fauna: Agouti, pocket gopher, squirrels, opossums, deer, snakes, rabbits, orioles, butterflies and spiders, etc.

GPS Coordinates:
Latitude: 13° 50’ 04.8’’ N
Longitude: 89° 51’ 37.9’’ W