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freshcup.com | May 2014 67 harvests," Sergio says. He's fond of this sort of received wisdom passed down through generations. For instance, Finca Los Planes has a meter to ensure the coffee reaches the desired moisture level, but Sergio can give an equally accurate reading by cracking a bean between his molars, a trick he delights to show. At the same time, Finca Los Planes has benefited from the global exchange of agricultural knowledge. Isabel says they plan to construct more of the raised drying beds made popu- lar in Africa. Facing the most present danger in years, a synthesis of this kind of ancestral ingenuity with all the best practices devised across the indus- try could be the key to survival for El Salvador's relatively young specialty crop. Nena and her crew are even run- ning their own experiments. Currently, the women are pruning all shoots save the three strongest, bending one towards the ground. "Right now it seems OK," Nena says. "We will have to see in the future." Weaving through the lot, Jeff notices El Pimiento's resemblance to land farmed by another Salvadoran contact. Abnormally dense shading, conventionally regarded as an obstacle to growth, has done well to circumvent the rust problem in the highly affected Santa Ana region sixty miles to the west. Nena hopes for a similar effect. ergio was the first grower in his region to strive for a distinc- tion from conventional coffee. His labor practices are progres- sive as well. Har vesters earn a minimum $7.50 per day throughout the season with the opportunity to earn $10 on days of heavy picking. On average, the wage works out to be double that of most workers in the region. With decent compensation to a skilled labor force, Sergio looks to improve performance, staving off fungus with careful monitoring and preventative practices. A handful of staff is employed year-round to prune trees and prepare for next season's har vest. Back at the drying patio, Jeff and Isabel are jazzed about the idea of next year cupping with field workers like Nena and Yesenia. Including managers and farm owners has become a stan- dard practice of direct trade. In the same way a culture of precision materi- alized among baristas on the consumer end, bringing in the harvesters may be the next logical progression towards a well-educated supply chain. When we return to the cabin for dinner, Jeff thumbs through his phone and relays regards to Nena from his wife Maritza. In past visits, Maritza, a Colombian and former Q Grader, had imparted to the young Salvadoreña some basic quality coffee wisdom. Recalling their impromptu training sessions, Nena says she wants to keep learning beyond what she knows in the fields. "I like the whole process of coffee," she says as the beginnings of smile emerge from an otherwise stoic face. In the event El Pimiento's lot pro- duces ample coffee for export, Jeff urges Nena to re-invest the money into the land in a similar fashion to Sergio's allocation of Cup of Excellence profits. Nena agrees this is a good idea, hoping to "continue with the legacy." Someday she hopes to have her own land and give her son a quality education, one with comput- ers, a convenience not readily acces- sible in her own youth. The last morning of our stay, Nena makes one more perfect meal. Sergio and Isabel are kind enough to take us down to the border where we will catch a bus to San Pedro Sula. Jeff is on his way to Guatemala, but before he goes he lays claim to the five bags expected from El Pimiento this season. It is a modest purchase, perhaps not worth the trouble for a direct-trade buyer who sources from more than fifteen mid-sized farms in Central and South America. But it feels like a vote of confidence in El Pimiento, a little plot poised to carry more than its own weight through a tumultuous time. S May14_magazine.indd 67 4/18/14 10:46 AM