Jose Uribe Caturra FW

Jose Uribe Lasso purchased Finca El Diviso in the early 2000s when he moved from Nariño to escape the violence there. For Jose Uribe, Huila was a fortuitous new beginning. The land is so fertile, he says, that anyone with the will to work can overcome poverty by cultivating coffee or other crops in Huila’s nutrient-rich soil.

Today, Jose Uribe and his 3 sons cultivate coffee at Finca El Diviso. One of his sons, Adrien, is also taking QC trainings at SENA, the national learning service, so he can evaluate their coffees and help with quality improvement.

Jose Uribe has designated a plot for each of his sons where they decide which varieties to plant and determine the best way to cultivate coffee. In addition to the Caturra in this lot, Jose Uribe and his sons also cultivate Geisha, Pink Bourbon and Bourbon Aji.

They are constantly innovating and improving their methods. They have been perfecting their fermentation process since 2018, when one of his sons attended a workshop about using lactobacillus microorganisms to control fermentation. This process creates a delicate, floral profile.

Jose Uribe and his sons selectively handpick cherry and process it on their farm. Then, cherry is pulped and placed in plastic buckets where it is inoculated with lactobacillus and fermented for 15 to 18 hours. Following fermentation, coffee is washed in clean water and laid on their marquesinas, the flat drying shelves on the roof of their home.

They use a prolonged drying method to develop flavor and improve coffee quality. Wet parchment is laid in a single layer and dried for several days. As parchment dries, they slowly build the layer of parchment so that the thicker layer will slow drying times. Parchment is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 15 to 18 days for parchment to dry.

Led by producer Edilma Piedrahita, the 27 producers in Asoguacharos maintain high quality standards and produce excellent specialty coffees. Based in Huila, the group seeks out training opportunities provided by NGOs and the national learning service, SENA. As members of Asoguacharos, producers follow high standards and, in return, gain market access and garner higher prices for their coffees.

Each producer processed their own coffee on their farms and adapts their methods to best suit their specific conditions. This leads to unique variations from each producer. 

In the future, they plan to make their farms a center for ecotourism. They’ve attended trainings on how to set up tours and attract visitors.