We drive on a dirt road in Caconde, on the border between the states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais. All around us are lush green trees and flowers in purple and sky blue. Butterflies flutter in and out of the rainforest over the rust-red dirt road. A beautiful scene we would like to admire, if it weren't for the fact that we have to be fully focused on what may have to be one of Brazil's bumpiest roads: Around every bend there is a rock or a hole that we have to avoid.

However, the small rental car copes with the hardships surprisingly well and we have no plans to give up. Because at the top of the "humpetiten road" is the Facenda Boa Vista do Engano coffee farm. Here, Roberta Bazilli produces specialty coffee that is the talk of the town.

Once there, the view itself is worth every bump. From the charming white-painted thatched house there is a 360-degree view to rolling hills with coffee bushes, framed by dense Atlantic rainforest. A local legend says that the spirit of Roberta's great-grandfather still watches over the area, and it's not too difficult to feel a little superstitious in this setting.

Today, however, the house is used as a coffee roaster. Roberta also has a small coffee shop and setup for coffee tasting here. This lady is not a typical coffee farmer. In addition to producing quality coffee, the farmer is a certified Q-degree (as one of the few female farmers in Brazil) and a trained coffee roaster. She also holds courses on the farm. Then it is good that it is not far to go to work; Roberta and her son live alone in a newly built house a little further up the mountainside.

- I am a fifth generation coffee grower, so coffee is simply part of my DNA, comments Roberta. But she admits that at one point she was on the verge of opting out of coffee.

- When I finished my degree at the university in "hospitality management", I really wanted to establish a hotel here to welcome tourists. However, my father insisted that I concentrate on the coffee and rather add value to what we had. That's when I decided to study specialty coffee. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with this incredible world of beans! Since 2005, I have taken care of the production, processing, roasting and marketing of specialty coffee, she says. This means that a large part of life is about coffee:

- I divide my time between being Theo's mum and a coffee maker. Those are the two biggest passions in my life! And continuing the family tradition has proven to be a very rewarding mission.

Roberta says that she gets great satisfaction from seeing the scores for each coffee she produces: - It's about knowing that what I'm doing is working and that I'm on the right track! There is a lot of positivity in these points, and I feel proud to produce a coffee with a taste that I want more of! My coffee is full of history, commitment and love! And I think people notice all this in the cup! she says.

The high point valuation is probably also one of the reasons
to the fact that on two occasions Roberta's coffee has been selected to be served to popes on official visits to Brazil.

But coffee production is not entirely without its challenges. As in Europe, finding labor during the busy periods is not always easy - The absolute biggest challenge I have is getting enough labour. Every year, fewer are available!

She hopes more consumers choose to set aside a few extra kroner to buy specialty coffee.

-If they do, they get a coffee that is packed with antioxidants that provide many health benefits. And behind the special coffee cup are many years of dedication, history, love and care. For me, it is also important to take care of the environment. Here on the property, we have already neutralized the carbon emissions and are at zero! Our commitment to sustainability and nature has always been and always will be one of our cornerstones, she points out.

The coffee farmer says that, for example, she has managed completely without herbicides for several years.

- We have an agronomist who follows us throughout the year, and it is a very important measure. I may not be completely organic, but I haven't used herbicide in 3 years! I do all the weed control with tilting. It's more expensive, but I think it's worth it if we think about health and quality!
Our fertilizer is made with organic mineral and I use all the coffee straw in the field too!

When asked if it is challenging to be a woman in a male-dominated profession in Brazil, she answers honestly that this has always been a challenge

- But it has never bothered me! I am not a woman who flies the feminist flag, but I simply believe that I conquer my space through the well-executed and meticulous work that I do!

In the future, Roberta hopes to export more coffee to
Norway!

-And so I would very much like to visit the country nearby
future!