About the farm
Finca Los Altiplanos is situated inside the Datanlí El Diablo Nature Reserve and is surrounded by a plethora of local flora and fauna. The Jugüina River also borders the farm, providing fresh water for the coffee and other vegetation.
Founded in the late 1930s by a Scotsman named Mr. Potter, Finca Los Altiplanos was sold later in the decade to the president at the time, Anastasio Somoza García. The land was confiscated by the Nicaraguan state in the 1980s and incorporated into the swathes of land dedicated to the agrarian reform. Fourteen years ago, Ricardo Cuadra Fajardo saw the farm for sale, fell in love and purchased it instantly. Ricardo plants wheat and various vegetables in addition to his coffee. 30 hectares of the farm are classified as native jungle, and the coffee grows under a diverse canopy of shade. Specifically, the coffee thrives thanks to the three varieties of guaba growing throughout the farm. Guaba not only provides
shade for the coffee, but also aids with the fixation of Nitrogen, and provides a renewable source of energy in the form of firewood. There are 25 permanent employees on the farm and 180 temporary employees who come during the harvest. Basic grains and bananas are planted throughout Finca Los Altiplanos to feed these workers.
About the region
This is Nicaragua’s coffee powerhouse, producing half the country’s beans. Sitting at elevations between 1,188 and 1,798 masl, Jinotega enjoys cool temperatures, consistent rainfall and rich volcanic soil. The higher altitudes give this region its nickname «City of Mists.» It’s the ideal terroir for growing SHB/SHG (strictly hard beans/strictly high grown – from 1600masl) beans, with sweeter, complex flavous. Popular varieties here include Caturra, Bourbon and increasingly, Catimor for rust resistance.
About coffee in Nicaragua
Coffee isn’t native to Nicaragua — but ayy, did it find a home here! Spanish Catholic missionaries first introduced Arabica plants to the country in the 1790s via Costa Rica and Colombia. The northern highlands became ground zero for the ensuing Nicaragua coffee boom. By the early 1900s, coffee was Nicaragua’s top export. However, political instability put a spanner in the works. It escalated to an outright civil war in the 1980s, hitting the coffee industry hard. Consequently, the government nationalized many coffee farms, robbing producers of their livelihoods. In addition, this war disrupted traditional trade routes, leading to a US trade embargo. This cut off Nicaragua’s biggest market. Many producers neglected or abandoned their farms — while neighboring Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama industries kept thriving.
Today, Nicaragua is one of the world’s biggest coffee producer. 95 percent of Nicaraguan beans today come from small, family-owned farms. Generations of families work the same hillside farm, often using traditional, shade-grown and organic methods. In addition, cooperatives like CAFENICA oversee production and quality standards. Thus, they help farmers pool resources and access better markets and fairer prices. They also provide better financing, education and coffee processing facilities.
