Irene Gonzales Soza

FINCA TALQUEZALAR STORY

Irene is an exemplary woman and coffee farmer who now runs Finca Talquezalar after her husband Alfonso Rodriguez passed away in 2020. The farm was named by her father-in-law to honor his village. The farm has been productive for over 40 years. Talquezalar in the Nahuatl language means sweet grass, a type of grass that thrives in a tropical climate.

Before taking over, she used to say to Alfonso “why don’t we sell the farm? It is only generates losses. He invested a lot of resources, time, faith, and effort to continue his family legacy. Over time her feeling about the farm has changed and now, she cannot even think about the idea of selling the land.

For thirteen years, she worked alongside her husband, and as the new farm manager, she proudly continues to produce some of the finest coffees from the region, with her daughters Tamara and Paola. For Irene, her motivation to work with specialty coffee comes from choosing to drink a good coffee produced by them, to build a legacy for her daughters, and to create jobs and better incomes for farmworkers and nearby communities.

Farm Varieties
Size
Total Farm Area

10.5 Hectares

Area in Coffee

6.3 Hectares

Location
Country

El Salvador

Municipality

La Palma

Department

Chalatenango

Elevation

1,297 MASL

Technical info
Harvest

December to March

Processing Method

Washed and semi-washed fermented for 24 hours on average.

Shade

Guachipilin and Cujes

Drying Method

Fully sun-dried on raised-beds for 15 to 18 days depending on weather conditions.