In the shadow of a mountain 1,160 meters above sea level, surrounded by Atlantic rainforest, sits the Sitio Corrego Fundo coffee farm near the small town of Cabo Verde in the volcanic area of ​​the state of Minas Gerais. Here, farmer Leandro Rodriguez Dos Raies has been producing specialty coffee since 2020. But coffee has had a place in his life for as long as he can remember.

- I have worked with coffee production since I was a child
small. Both my father and grandfather are coffee farmers. In fact, I am the fifth
the generation in the family that works with coffee, says Leandro.

He eventually obtained a bachelor's degree in coffee cultivation, and it was during his studies that he began to see the potential for a higher quality in production.

-But it was only in 2020 that I made the decision to leave the usual commodity coffee production to switch to the cultivation of specialty coffee.

The term commodity coffee is often used to refer to coffee that is traded as a mass product, often on global markets, and which typically lacks distinct characteristics when it comes to
taste, quality or origin. It is usually grown on large farms
using conventional farming methods and is often harvested with mechanical equipment.

Specialty coffee, in contrast to commodity coffee, is of high quality with distinctive flavours, aromas and is typically grown on smaller farms and handled with greater care throughout the production process.

Leandro says that it was a transition, because there are more market requirements and production costs associated with specialty coffee.

- Specialty coffee requires more dedication and work. It is also important to study and stay up-to-date in the field, he points out.

- But we have good conditions for specialty coffee here. The lands lie in the shadow of a mountain, and are surrounded by rainforest. This leads to a slow ripening, which gives the beans a special quality, and which is very suitable for the cultivation of caturra and red and yellow catuai varieties, among others.

- The coffee produced here has great potential for
quality and unique properties that contribute to a very good cup of coffee, says Leandro.

One of the highlights for the coffee farmer so far was becoming a finalist in the quality competition for specialty coffee organized by Asprocafe (Association for Producers of Specialty Coffee in Cabo Verde, MG).

-I was invited to join the association and together with other growers from the Vulcânica region of Poços de Caldas, I participated in the competition the following year to have the quality of our coffee assessed. Being part of the association together with other producers is a strength. We work together on new projects and specific markets, he says.

Another factor that is very important in the production of specialty coffee is care for the growing environment.

"In order to preserve the environment, effort and responsibility are necessary," says Leandro.

The farmer says that, among other things, he limits the use of herbicides to the minimum on his farm.

- Here it is really quite simple, for the location
of the farm means that we get weed varieties that do no harm and are easy to remove. So
it eliminates the need for glyphosate, he says.

Pesticides are only used for the control and prevention of diseases that can damage the crop and production.

-When they are used, it is done in a controlled manner to avoid that it could have an effect on health and the environment. I myself have education in the field of environment and occupational safety and understand the extreme importance of health and responsibility, says Leandro.

- Trees have been part of the plantation since my childhood and make the climate in the working environment more pleasant. Shady areas provide larger leaves on the coffee bushes to capture sunlight and allow for a slow ripening of the fruits, which gives the coffee natural sweetness and quality. Working in interaction with nature makes the place a better place to work, he claims, and emphasizes that trees also help to maintain a milder climate on the farm, maintain microorganisms and nutrients in the soil and contribute to the fauna living in harmony with the environment.

-And the most important thing is the quality of the fruit produced.

-In my opinion, specialty coffee is not expensive, it is a higher value product that requires more dedication and work. What the customer gets by drinking specialty coffee is the certainty that they have the best in their cup, Leandro points out.

He says that one of the greatest joys is to experience
the satisfaction of those who enjoy his coffee.

- The customers' feedback about the coffee means a lot. This is the final part of the whole process, he concludes.