Ana Lucia Urbano

Ana Lucia, or sometimes as she likes to be called “Lucy,” is an exemplary person and woman. She comes from a family with limited resources, in which she was the 6th of 14 children and was unable to study at the time. As time passed, she got married, and with her husband, they purchased the and where she currently produces coffee. Back then, there was nothing planted, so they started from scratch by planting coffee. Through that journey, they became known, and her husband participated in different coffee events while she stayed and managed the day to day of the farm. Together with her husband, they had three children, two daughters, and one son. One of the daughters passed away, leaving behind three children who now reside on the farm with Ana Lucia. The other daughter is an agronomist living in the United States, while the son is a biologist living in another country. Eventually, things soured with her husband, and they decided to separate. He wanted to sell the farm, but Ana Lucia didn’t want to, as she felt attached to it, to what they had built, and the extensive natural reserve she had protected. With the help of her children, she was able to buy the entire farm from her ex-husband and preserve the natural reserve. This moment was pivotal for her, and she named the farm “181O.” The name holds special signif1cance for her as it represents the year of Colombia’s independence, the country she loves and adores. Additionally, this new beginning marked her independence. Since taking full control of the farm and the coffee, Ana Lucia has become an example for many women, and she strongly believes that all women in coffee should understand what happens on the farms and comprehend coffee production. She belongs to several groups and associations as she is always eager to acquire knowledge to improve. Through coffee, she has been able to provide for her children and three grandchildren.

Her coffee processing begins with careful cherry picking, which is taken to the wet mili on the farm. There, the cherries are left for 24 hours in a closed plastic container and then pulped without water. Afterward, the coffee is left to ferment for between 38 to 48 hours, depending on the climate, in a traditional tank covered with plastic. Following this step, the coffee is washed once and taken to the drying area, where it will take around 15 days to reach its ideal humidity level. When ready, it will be transported to the Caravel’s purchasing station in Pitalito.