Tabi Honey Coffee – El Salvador

Read about Thelma de Gutierrez and how she produces her Tabi Honey Coffee in El Salvador.

Thelma de Gutierrez, a third-generation coffee farmer, purchased Finca Madre Tierra in 2006, with a relentless focus on enhancing coffee quality despite facing numerous challenges. Thelma firmly asserts, “My enduring love and passion for coffee propel us forward.”

Thelma’s life has always revolved around coffee. Growing up on her family’s coffee farm, she fondly recalls running amidst ripe cherry trees during harvest. These joyful memories became the driving force behind her decision to purchase her own coffee farm, solidifying her position as a third-generation coffee producer.

Acquiring Finca Madre Tierra in 2006 and later adding Finca Lemus in 2014, named after the former owner Carlos Lemus, Thelma strategically positioned her farms atop a hill in the Ilamatepec mountain range near Ataco. She intentionally chose this region, aiming to anchor her farm near Ataco, renowned for producing high-quality coffee.

Thelma’s commitment extends beyond Ataco. With ongoing plans for future improvements, she envisions installing an irrigation system for more efficient coffee cultivation, thereby reinforcing her farm against potential challenges such as droughts, diseases, pests, and inadequate funding.

Enriched by rich volcanic soil and a year-round water source, her farms thrive with native shade trees, providing sustenance and shelter for local and migratory animals. Thelma is dedicated to preserving the environment through sustainable farming practices. By embracing a holistic ecological system to control infestations and diseases, she creates a natural shield for her farm that enhances rather than harms the environment.

During harvest of the Tabi Honey Coffee from El Salvador, a meticulous process involves hand-selecting ripe cherries to ensure high-quality coffee. Following 72 hours of gentle fermentation, the cherries journey to Beneficio El Carmen, a dry mill in Concepcion de Ataco. The coffee, depulped with an Ecopulper, is meticulously spread with its mucilage on raised beds and patios, drying in the sun for 20 to 24 days.

Unlike other countries that necessitate additional investments and training for specialty coffee production, El Salvador boasts a skilled and extensive workforce in specialty coffee. Deep-rooted agricultural traditions and passionate farmers define El Salvador’s unique position, providing optimal conditions for coffee processing. The prolonged dry season during harvest facilitates the sun-drying of coffee, contributing to its distinct quality.