But, what does Isaias’ coffee have, that make it so special and it could won over 401 producers from all over the country in the Cup of Excellence competition? What did make that Japaneses, Europeans and Americans were fighting for his coffee, until it got a new record in the price for Colombian Coffees? The secret is definitively in the capacity of the Beneficiadero (which is not bigger than 10 feet) nor the technology, because the most modern device or machine Isaías has is an old motorcycle he drive to go to the town to buy the products for the farm.

Isaias gives us a simple answer, while he rubs his face with his big hands: “The secret is the patience and to love what you do. Since I was a handpicker, I only picked the best beans, because I wanted to do my job as good (best) as I can. I was not interested in winning lots of money picking big amounts of coffee. I also built 84 houses of bahareque (mud) in the area.

Besides the love and the patience, Isaias has another tricks: He doesn’t allow to people different than his children or himself, pick the beans; he also apply ashes to the crops as a pest control; he has different shade trees in the farm, and, during depulping and washing process, he continues picking the best beans.

My dad has always been, very “chocho” with the coffee (Chocho is a very typical Colombian expression for a people with lots and lots of commitment with the things people do). And he is very strict with us when we are working in the farm” says Ferney, his second son.

Fernely recriminated his father, because Isaias take out the only money he had in the bank. That money was for the house necessities and Isaias took that money to pay some people to help in the farm. My dad was obsessed with the competition, and he picked and picked and picked again the coffee, so I though: if he continues picking the coffee, he won’t be able to fulfill the minimum quantity to participate. For that reason he delivered the coffee to the competition the very last day.

To see the full article in Spanish Click Here.