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Issue link: http://freshcup.epubxp.com/i/59523
SMALL FARMER, BIG PLANS continued from page 59 washing, drying and sorting Toñito's coffee alongside that of other farmers in La Unión. For two weeks, we indulged our senses in delight as Toñito's coffee took form. We got to regularly smell the tangy acidity of fermenting coffee. And when we walked into the solar dryer, we encountered an overwhelming aroma that can only be described as a mix of yeasty bread dough and rich hot chocolate. And then, after it spent 34 hours in fermentation tanks, 24 hours in soaking tanks and nine days in dryers, the coffee was done. Around this time, we received the good news that Josh Longsdorf of Detroit's Anthology Coffee wanted to use Toñito's coffee for his routine in the North Central Regional Barista Competition. Soon after, we gathered for the cupping with IHCAFE. Butterflies filled my stomach as Reyes put samples from Toñito's first two lots on a table next to 19 other coffees being evaluated either for purchase by UMF or entry into the Coffee of the Year competition. As we made our Toñito on the spot but lacked phone reception. I then checked the bottom of the second tray, which had a similar flavor profile: 011- 01. This was the first lot brought by Toñito. It was beginning to appear that Toñito's coffee was good enough not only to export to the United States, but possibly to enter in Coffee of the Year. And if the coffee qualified for that event, chances were good it would grab even more attention: In last year's Coffee of the Year, two of the top 10 samples came out of Honduras. THE LAST BATTLE Toñito was of course excited about the news I imparted to him in that fuzzy phone call, but he isn't one to celebrate for long. The conversation quickly returned to business. "My field should have its final good picking a week from now," he said. "If the rain holds off, I will bring everything I can to the beneficio." And then it hit me: Toñito's journey is not yet complete. Right now, the coffee from his ON THE CUPPING TABLE: Toñito's coffees received positive feedback on the cupping table and will now compete to be entered in SCAA's Coffee of the Year competition. way through each coffee, a handful stood out from the rest—some for their poor picking or processing, and others for their unique flavor profiles. And then there were two that took Reyes and me by surprise. "I need to send these coffees to San Pedro Sula to put it them in front of a panel that is in training for Cup Of Excellence," Reyes said. "I haven't cupped a coffee that has this profile ever before, and I would like a group to evaluate it better." He scored the coffee an 88.5, and in his scoring he noted that the profile had notes of strawberry, bitter chocolate, lavender, cardamom and something else that he couldn't fully articulate. Excitement built in me—half of the coffees on the table were from La Unión and the other half from farmers in other parts of the Santa Barbara region. Was this coffee from La Unión? Could it possibly be Toñito's? I checked the code on the bottom of the tray: 011-02. That meant it was the second lot brought by producer 011, who was none other than Antonio Ponce Bautista! I would have called 60 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com fields we've processed at the ben- eficio only amounts to 500 pounds, and that's before taking off the shell at our exporter. The minimum size that we can export is generally about 1,500 pounds. This means that Toñito has one picking left, and that harvest session must lead to twice as much coffee at the same quality level as the previous haul. If that level of production doesn't occur, UMF will have to blend his coffee with coffee from several other farmers in the area. It won't be a single farmer's micro-lot, which will result in a lower price. What's more, the issue of weather continues to plague Toñito. Lack of rain early in the season delayed fertilizing, heavy rains damaged roads before the harvest, light rains delayed picking and caused his field to over-ripen, and any rain that may occur while Toñito does the last of his picking could mean that he has just produced the best coffee that nobody will ever taste. And so here we are yet again: Toñito is one step closer to export- ing a specialty-grade coffee to the United States, but only if weather cooperates and allows him to bring enough quality cherry to the beneficio. Once more, we all find ourselves hoping for the best. In the final installment of "Small Farmer, Big Plans," we will see if Toñito is able to harvest enough quality coffee to export a micro-lot, whether his coffee qualifies for the SCAA's Coffee of the Year competi- tion and its final sales location. For more information about coffee produced by Toñito and other farmers in La Unión, please contact info@unionmicrofinanza.org.