Martha Pinares Ayma

Martha Pinares lives on her farm, Santa Ana, with her husband, Feliciano Borda, where they both work in coffee production. They have pacae trees intercropped with their coffee for shade, as well as avocado and orange trees for their personal consumption. In terms of farm work, Martha focuses more on administration and occasionally assists with cherry picking, while her husband handles fertilization, harvesting, and post-harvest processes. During the busier harvest periods, they receive assistance from Martha’s brothers.

Martha inherited her passion for coffee from her father, who passed down a parcel of land for her own coffee production. From the beginning, she worked on her coffee and enjoyed it so much that she started purchasing additional parcels to expand her production. Over time, starting around 2013, she attended workshops in the municipality to acquire more knowledge about coffee production and learn about quality. In 2022, Martha noticed the better prices being paid for specialty coffee, so she took the leap, and it has been a rewarding decision. At her farm, Santa Ana, she has become more organized and meticulous with the process, implementing selective cherry picking, and separating her harvest by varieties. This has resulted in better income and further motivation to continue improving. Martha has also benefited from visits by Caravela’s PECA technician, who has taught her on the importance of proper coffee drying and effective farm management as a business.

Through this journey, Martha has gained recognition in the area for her good practices and quality coffee. It serves as a testament to her commitment to doing things the right way and fills her with pride for the work she and her husband have accomplished. Martha aspires to eventually participate in the Cup of Excellence competition, but to continue improving, she plans to upgrade her fermentation tank and purchase a new pulper.

Martha initiates the coffee processing with meticulous manual picking of ripe cherries on her farm. The cherries are then transported to the micro wet mill on the farm, where they undergo pulping. The coffee is subsequently placed in sealed containers and left to ferment for 24 hours before being washed. Following the washing stage, the coffee is transferred to solar dryers on the farm, where it will take approximately 12 days to reach the ideal humidity level.