Amparo Maya Natural

Farmlevel Story

Amparo Maya farms humbly in the high elevations of the Chachagüí region of Colombia. Amparo has been a rockstar on our menu for the past five years, those who have enjoyed her coffees in the past are sure to enjoy this year's natural offering.

Amparo falls into the vast majority of coffee farmers categorized as “small-holders.” Smallholding farmers usually own between 1-5 hectares of land, where the emphasis is on cash crops and subsistence farming. Seventy percent of the world’s coffee farmers can be characterized as “smallholders.” Amparo Maya manages three hectares of land at her farm El Convento where she grows avocados and citrus fruits alongside her coffee.

Her farm sits just above 2,000 masl (meters above sea level), which is certainly high for growing coffee, especially in South America. This elevation is right on the cusp of the critical elevation zone for growing coffee, but it has its advantages. The high altitude and the moderate temperatures in Chachagui come together to create ideal growing conditions. Cherry maturation takes longer in these conditions giving the cherries more time to develop sugars, and it is even apparent in the crispness and sweetness of the cup. Amparo Maya won first place in the Cup of Excellence competition in 2004 and 2008. We are continuously blown away by her crop and are excited to share this year’s natural offering.