Yoarci Ricardo Gonzalez

In Apaguis, a community in the department of Estelí, lies the Los Gemelos run by Yoarci Ricardo Gonzalez, an extremely innovative coffee producer. He has been in the coffee business for 15 years and specialized in the production of specialty coffee 4 years ago. After graduating, he started working in a cooperative near his hometown. Here he learned how to grow coffee profitably, so in addition to growing crops and working with cattle, he was also contributing to the local economy and the environment.

When he decided to start his coffee farm 15 years ago, he turned an area that was intended for cattle into a beautiful coffee farm. This area was previously exposed to the sun and was mostly covered with grass. By planting shade trees, fruit trees and coffee, the microclimate has completely changed. According to Yoarci, a remineralization process transformed the soil from clay to sandy loam, improving the soil structure for coffee cultivation.

He has learned to grow varieties for the specialty coffee market by following farm management practices, pest and disease control, etc. On the farm, Yoarci works with his family. His uncle helps him with fertilization, shade management, and other activities, and his father helps transport the coffee. Thanks to his father, who also grows coffee, vegetables, staple crops, and livestock, he has learned how to work the soil and farm.

Yoarci says he chooses to grow specialty coffee because the prices are sustainable, and he makes a higher profit margin as a coffee producer. He likes to grow the Java variety for its profile and resistance to leaf rust, as well as the Pacamara variety, but it is more susceptible to disease and requires more maintenance and higher costs.

The farm is 70% Java variety and 30% Pacamara and Maragogipe. Ricardo applies different processes such as washed, honey and natural coffee. For washed coffee, he performs aerobic fermentation for 24 hours. For natural coffee, he currently doesn’t have a drying space, relies on Caravela’s drying site to slowly dry the coffee for 13-15 washed and 20-25 days naturals. All coffee is 100% dried on raised beds.

Lastly, Yoarci hopes that customers enjoy this coffee as much as he enjoys growing this variety, and he looks forward to receiving more customer inquiries before harvesting begins, as this is key to planning and producing high-quality coffee.