Teofilo Jose Narvaez

PARTNER’S NAME: ALMA IRIS SALGADO CARDOZA
FINCA LAS MARÍAS STORY

For more than 20 years, Don Teo, as he is known by the coffee community, started growing coffee. His farm Las Marías takes its name after the many Marías in the family, especially his daughter. The farm is in a remote yet thriving village in Jalapa, Nueva Segovia. When he started growing coffee in this area there were no roads, so he knew it would be a challenge. As a young and not-so-experien- ced farmer, he did not have transportation or resources, so he walked more than 2 hours to get from his house to the farm every day. He recalls having to transport the stones, tools, and other necessary equipment by donkey or horses to open the main access road. Before working in coffee, he dedicated himself to the commercialization of wood and rice, however, in coffee, he found his true passion.

Don Teo says, “I have learned that producing a lot is good, but that producing quality is better, both go hand in hand, you have to produce a product that makes you wake up every day and feel proud. Another thing I learned is that it is to become profitable to work to create a fund that allows one as a producer to work freely and invest”. All these years he has focused on producing consistent coffees, integrating both hybrid and traditional varieties to achieve a balance between productivity and quality. Some of the varieties at the farm are Caturra, Catuai, Marsellesa, Parainema, Catimor, and this harvest he planted Maragogype. Don Teo shares that “finding his own recipe” has allowed him to stay afloat and achieve remarkable quality all these years.

 

Farm Varieties
Size
Total Farm Area

82 Hectares

Area in Coffee

50 Hectares

Location
Country

Nicaragua

Municipality

Jalapa

Department

Nueva Segovia

Elevation

1,200 – 1,450 MASL

Technical info
Harvest

December – March

Processing Method

Fully washed and fermented for 26-30 hours. Honey and naturals.

Shade

Ingas and native trees.

Drying Method

Fully dried on raised-beds at La Estrella dry mill.