Colombia Los Jazmines Microlot

“Life is full of downturns,” producer Hector Dario Gil Bedoya explains, “but if every day we put a bit of morality into our work, dreams can be reached.” Hector grew up with his parents and four brothers in the Valle del Cauca. Together they learned not only how to cultivate coffee, but also to appreciate their quiet lives in the countryside after being forced to move to the Quebrada Arriba district because of violence in Cauca. Now that he and his family have found peace in Andes, Hector cares for 11,000 coffee trees alongside his wife, Dora Alba Diaz, who he considers to be a perfect ally in his coffee business. Together, they cultivate 2.5 hectares at an elevation of 1,920 meters, processing the coffee for a 24-hour fermentation period in a majolica-plated, or earthenware, tank.