It takes dedication, insight and a lot of work to cultivate specialty coffee. But you get a coffee that has truly unique characteristics and qualities. So says fifth-generation coffee farmer Leandro Rodriguez Dos Raies, who switched his production to specialty coffee in 2020.
In the shadow of a mountain 1160 meters above sea level, surrounded by Atlantic rainforest, lies the coffee farm Sitio Corrego Fundo near the small town of Cabo Verde in the volcanic region of Minas Gerais state. Farmer Leandro Rodriguez Dos Raies has been producing specialty coffee here since 2020. But coffee has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember.
-I've been involved in coffee production since I was a child. Both my father and grandfather are coffee farmers. In fact, I am the fifth generation in my family to work with coffee, says Leandro.
He later earned a bachelor's degree in coffee cultivation, and it was during his studies that he began to see the potential for higher quality in production.
-But it wasn't until 2020 that I made the decision to leave conventional commodity coffee production to switch to growing specialty coffee.
The term commodity coffee is often used to describe coffee traded as a mass product, often on global markets, and which typically lacks distinct characteristics in terms of 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 flavors and aromas, and is typically grown on smaller farms and handled with greater care throughout the production process.
Leandro explains that it was a transition because there are more market demands and production costs associated with specialty coffee.
"Specialty coffee requires more dedication and work. It's also important to study and stay updated in the field," he points out.
"But we have good conditions for specialty coffee here. The fields are in the shade of a mountain, surrounded by rainforest. This leads to slow maturation, which gives a special quality to the beans and is very well suited for cultivating varieties such as Caturra, and red and yellow Catuai."
"The coffee produced here has great potential for
quality and unique characteristics that contribute to a very good cup of coffee," Leandro believes.
One of the highlights for the coffee farmer so far was becoming a finalist in the specialty coffee quality competition organized by Asprocafe (the Association of Specialty Coffee Producers in Cabo Verde, MG).
"I was invited to join the association, and together with other growers from the Vulcânica region in Poços de Caldas, I participated in the competition the following year to have the quality of our coffee assessed. Being part of the association alongside other producers is a strength. We work together on new projects and specific markets," he says.
Another factor that is very important in specialty coffee production is care for the growing environment.
"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 a minimum on his farm.
"Here it's actually quite simple, because the location
of the farm means we get weed varieties that are not harmful and are easy to remove. So
that eliminates the need for glyphosate," he explains.
Pesticides are only used to control and prevent diseases that can damage the crop and production.
-When they are used, it is done in a controlled manner to avoid any effect on health and the environment. I myself have a background in environmental and occupational safety and understand the extreme importance of health and accountability, 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 harmony with nature makes the place a better place to work, he asserts, and emphasizes that trees also help maintain a milder climate on the farm, support 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 produced fruits.
-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 assurance that they have the best in their cup, Leandro points out.
He says that one of his greatest joys is experiencing
the satisfaction of those who enjoy his coffee.
-Customer feedback about the coffee means a lot. This is, after all, the final part of the whole process, he concludes.
