Francy - Producer Info

In 2017, Francy began a structured coffee farming project that required detailed planning from seed selection to post-harvest storage to establish new coffee plantings successfully. Choosing the right seeds and preparing the soil are essential first steps in sustainable coffee cultivation. Sustainable practices often include soil conservation techniques such as cover cropping and mulching to protect soil structure and prevent erosion. Francy also adjusted planting distances to give each coffee plant enough room for healthy root and canopy development, which is crucial for good growth. Agricultural tasks like planting, fertilizing and hand-picking ripe cherries involve neighbours and family members, a common practice on small farms. The farm’s production methods emphasize the minimal use of synthetic agrochemicals to preserve soil microbial life and overall soil health, which supports resilient and productive coffee plants.

To produce high-quality coffee, the farm applies practices that ensure product safety. Only beans that have completed their full maturation cycle are harvested, when the drupe shows a deep red color and Brix levels average above 22°. Water is added, and flotation sorting is performed, which also washes the beans before oxidation. Oxidation takes place in jute bags for two days before pulping. The pulping machine is then checked and cleaned, and the beans are pulped and stored in sacks and bag for 70 hours. 

After this stage, the coffee is immersed in a tank for two rinses. Drying begins on a concrete patio at the farm for about 2 days, continues under tents for 16 days, and finishes on a concrete patio before being placed in sacks when moisture reaches 10–11.5%.