About this Coffee
Luz Divia Fierro, also known as Sandy, and her husband Elpidio, also known as Pillo, run the El Meson coffee farm in the vereda, or small community, of Berlin, Huila. The couple inherited the farm from Pillo’s father, who is also a coffee producer and continues to farm nearby. They work together as a team but sell their coffee under Sandy’s name. Growing up on a coffee farm owned by his family, Pillo learned everything he knows about coffee farming from his father. The couple moved onto the El Meson property about three years ago, where they began building a house and planting coffee trees.
This microlot comes from their original planting of 20,000 Pink Bourbon trees on 11 of the farm’s 34 hectares. Two years ago, they planted another 26,000 trees that will produce their first harvest this year. In addition to coffee, Sandy and Pillo grow plantains, yucca, and sugar cane to feed their workers and themselves. They also keep four cows for milk. The farm’s soil is mostly loam, with some pockets of sand. There is a protected forest reserve on the property, as well as a waterfall, but the farm’s landscape is mostly hilly and steep, with some parcels of flatter land.
After the cherry is collected from the fields, Pillo carries out the beneficio, or post-harvest processing in the wet mill, himself. The harvest is put into large tanks filled with water to “float” the coffee and remove any debris or damaged and/or green cherries. The cherry then remains intact for 24 hours. The next day, Pillo de-pulps and ferments the Pink Bourbon beans for another 38 hours in tanks. He then washes the coffee once and puts it out to dry on his rooftop-style dryer for up to 18 days.
Pillo and Sandy are committed to producing high-quality coffee and ensuring their workers are paid well and feel comfortable during their time on the farm. This year, they expect to have a promising harvest and even plan to hire additional pickers. Their dedication to their farm and community represents a younger generation of coffee growers from southern Huila who also honor their family’s legacy. We are fortunate to work with them and look forward to the future of El Meson. We were absolutely delighted by the striking fruitiness of this coffee, especially considering it was from a washed lot. To add to our excitement, having a pink bourbon coffee on our menu is always a special treat.