Tierra Prometida

In Cauca, coffee is not only an exceptional beverage, but also a symbol of peace and resistance against violence and illicit crops. 

Between harvests, growers work tirelessly to strengthen bonds of community. They are engaged in sustainable agricultural practices, energy recycling, transitional crop production, food sovereignty, production of minor species, and development projects that promote peace and social justice in the region.

The main harvest is concentrated in the months of April to June, and of which we collect about 70% of the coffee produced in the year, 30% is harvested in the months of September and December. In 2024, the production has increased compared to the previous year, due to the climatic conditions, agroforestry development and crop diversity. All of this have made it possible to sustain production and integrated pest and disease management biologically.

During the harvest, the community joins in a collective effort to carefully collect the ripe coffee beans and perform a mill individually on each of the farms, based on a fermentation of 8 to 12 hours depending on the altitude.

After washing, it is taken to dry directly in the sun in beds raised from the ground for about 7 to 14 days depending on the weather conditions.  This process carried out by the peasants is careful and dedicated in a territory surrounded by violence and armed conflict that makes coffee a testimony of the power of peace to generate abundance and prosperity in the territory.

This coffee, on the other hand comes from an Association called FCC (Federacion Campesina del Cauca).

The association, with over 53 years of history, began as a syndicate aiming to return land to the campesinos. Many of its founders were victims of violence by the government, which led the group to evolve into a Federation, united by coffee.

Since then, they have served as a legal alternative to conflict and drug trafficking, promoting coffee cultivation while encouraging younger generations to be proud of their campesino heritage rather than seeking migration to cities.

Their main mission goals are:

• Since 2014, they have stopped using pesticides and are transitioning to organic/regenerative farming. Many are already certified, and they now produce their own inputs in a biofactory, which also supplies other farmers growing crops like strawberries, lulo, and potatoes.
• The association is autonomous and has a strong impact on its communities.
• They are guardians of endemic seeds, promoting biodiversity and avoiding monocultures, which also allows coffee farmers to be self-sufficient in their food production.
• Although coffee remains their primary focus, they are diversifying by producing honey with hives installed on their members’ farms.
• Contrary to national recommendations, all associated farmers grow coffee under shade.
• Since 2021, they have been working towards EUDR compliance.
• At their experimental farm, they process microlots using microorganisms they have inoculated themselves, ensuring true flavors and avoiding contamination from foreign yeasts.
• They see their relationships as partnerships, not client-based.
• They are actively working to mitigate climate change risks for farmers.
• Over a third of their production is handled by empowered women, many of whom are widows due to the conflict.

This coffee comes from Timbío, Cauca. Timbío is a municipality of Colombia located in the department of Cauca, 13 kilometers from Popayán, the department's capital. It belongs to the metropolitan area of Popayán. This area is characterized by its mountainous topography, with interspersed valleys, and is located between the central and western mountain ranges, which gives it a variable altitude and great geographical diversity.

The climate in this region is varied due to its topography, but in general, it can be described as a subtropical mountain. It is characterized by cool to moderate temperatures and a seasonality marked by a rainy season from October to December and a dry season from June to August. Humidity and precipitation are high during the rainy season, while dry months are usually sunnier.