Tasting Notes: Granola, Graham Cracker, Chocolate Grown By: Finca Churupampa Region: San Ignacio, Cajamarca, Peru Altitude: 1,600-1,900 meters above sea level Process: Washed Roast Level: Light-Medium The Tocto brothers see Finca Churupampa not just as a coffee farm, but as a social enterprise with a mission to revitalize the economic and social landscape of Chirinos. In addition to selling coffee from their own farm, the Toctos provide export and marketing services for 215 neighboring farmers. Finca Churupampa also operates a training center that is open to the entire community, working with farmers to improve their production practices and break the cycle of poverty that has trapped farmers in the region for many years. In the years since the brothers assumed management of Finca Churupampa, the community of farmers in Chirinos has shifted away from subsistence coffee farming to invest instead in quality and sustainability. The Tocto brothers have continually reinvested in improving the farm's facilities, equipment, and processing and drying methods with a focus on meticulous quality control protocols; the QC team will cup upwards of 4,000 samples in a year! transforming it into a model for economically and environmentally sustainable coffee production. The farm has a driving focus in organic production, and in addition to coffee, the Toctos grow organic vegetables, tropical fruits, and raise chickens for local consumption. A soil management program is an important aspect of the farm’s operations; the brothers produce compost using a diverse selection of flora gathered from the surrounding forest and use the leftover "miel," or honey, from their fermentation tanks to make fertilizer pellets which help their plants retain water. Just past the fermentation tanks and compost facility, the farm features a fresh water pool and soccer field, built to encourage local youth to spend time at the farm and experience the better quality of life that specialty coffee farming can provide.
