Oh Colombia, we’re so glad to have you back in the roastery. This fresh season coffee (also May’s single origin subscription) is a beautifully clean and sweet community lot from a group of smallholder farmers in Tolima in the Colombian Andes.
Although not as prolific or famous as some of its neighbouring regions, Tolima stands out for a number of reasons. First, it is relatively new to coffee production: until very recently, the department was controlled by members of Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, or FARC, a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla group that for decades fought a bloody insurgency against the Colombian government.
During this period farmers in Tolima mainly grew coca, or weren’t able to farm at all, but since the ceasefire started in 2016 many have begun to grow coffee as it offers a relatively stable form of income. With support from local cooperatives and the government, former FARC fighters have also taken to growing coffee as part of their reintegration into society, although the region still faces issues with lack of infrastructure—and residual dangers from leftover landmines.
Another aspect that makes Tolima stand out is related to its seclusion during the FARC occupation: Because of the danger associated with the region, and the historical lack of coffee production, Tolima’s farmers have had little access to agrochemicals. This means that the soil is relatively uncontaminated, and with the help of cooperatives, farmers have been able to gain organic certification since the peace deal.
Most farmers in the region are smallholders, many of which are organised by local cooperatives like Fabicoop in Planadas, Tolima, from where this coffee originates. Created in 2013, today Fabicoop is made up of 89 active members, 50 of whom came together to create this organic-certified community lot.
The Coffee Axis
Colombia is one of the world’s largest coffee producers—and the largest producer of arabica coffee—so it’s no surprise that coffee farms cover nearly a million hectares of land. Despite this large spread, the bulk of coffee production comes from the Eje Cafetero, or Coffee Axis, which straddles the Colombian Andes in the west of the country. The Coffee Axis encompasses the departments of Caldas, Risaralda, and Quindío as well as parts of Valle del Cauca, Antioquia, and Tolima.
The Coffee Axis, also known as the Coffee Triangle, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. UNESCO describes it as “an outstanding example of continuing land-use, in which the collective effort of several generations of campesino families generated innovative management practices of natural resources in extraordinarily challenging geographical conditions”.
Colombia, like many other coffee-producing countries, is struggling with the impacts of climate change. Cenicafé, the National Federation of Coffee Growers’ research centre, has worked hard to develop hardier, disease-resistant varieties that can better cope with the rising temperatures. Castillo, one of the varieties that make up this coffee, was one early creation and now makes up 40% of all coffee grown in Colombia.
Clean, Crisp, and Sweet
As well as developing new varieties, Colombian producers are turning to more traditional farming techniques such as the utilisation of shade trees. In addition to coffee, the producers of Fabicoop grow plantains and fruit trees. These bring in extra income while also acting as a form of shade for the coffee—protecting the cherries from excess heat while also helping improve the quality and taste.
Each of the 50 producers, who on average farm less than five hectares at altitudes reaching 2,100 metres above sea level, operate their own micro-mill. This means that they can harvest cherries and begin processing them on their farm. The ripe cherries are harvested, fermented and fully washed before being dried on patios, roofs, or raised beds. Once dry, they are bagged and delivered to a larger communal mill to be prepared for export.
At Glen Lyon we are big fans of the clean, crisp, and sweet coffees that Colombia produces, and this new community lot is no exception. Enjoy!
