About This Coffee
Las Lajas farm is currently being run by Oscar Chacon and his wife, Francisca, who are the third generation of coffee producers in their family. They have been successful in preserving the legacy of their farm, and their coffee has gained immense popularity, with production rising to over 2000 bags per year. The duo runs a diverse farming operation that involves growing and processing coffee, leading to the creation of unique and terroir-driven coffees that cannot be found elsewhere.
The name Las Lajas comes from the Spanish version of an Arabic word for the indigenous-crafted stone artifacts found on the farm when it was first planted. In total, 38 hectares of land are divided into several parcels, each of which grow various shade tree species and create unique micro-climates. In addition, different lots process coffee differently—some naturally, others either honey or washed. Las Lajas’s farming diversity allows the farm to create several distinct products with different characteristics all within a contained area. There is a rich tradition of coffee farming in the Chacón family: generations have owned and produced coffee on their land for more than 80 years.
Only the ripest, sweetest, most perfect cherries are reserved for this very special natural lot.
Cultivation
A farm of near legendary status, Las Lajas has been producing coffee since 1840. Nestled in the foothills of the Poas volcano in the Sabanilla of Alajuela region of Costa Rica, the farm has been passed down from generation to generation.
In 2000, Las Lajas became one of the first farms in Costa Rica to be officially certified organic—the history of their organic practices, however, stretches back to 1980, the year that Oscar’s father passed away due to pesticide-related illnesses. Despite there being no premiums paid at the time for organic coffee, Oscar and Francisca knew they needed to make the change to organic and sustainable farming for the health and longevity of both their family and Las Lajas. They have been champions of organic farming ever since.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
In recent years, the Chacons have made a name for themselves as some of the first farmers to push the boundaries of natural and honey-processing in Costa Rica and Central America. Their revered micromill opened in 2006, producing 25 bags of coffee.
For this 'Perla Negra' (Black Pearl) lot, cherry is handpicked, sorte, and cleaned. It is then put through an electric eye (as are all their lots) to measure color. This step determines how the cherry will be processed. From here the coffee is taken to be processed using Natural, Honey or Anaerobic methods, and then dried accordingly. Processing is stringently monitored and measured at every step.
Perla Negra processing is a form of natural processing. Cherries are laid to dry under sun on raised beds and then receive a second drying under dark netting that creates warmth and serves as a catalyst for further sugar development. The result is an exceptionally fruity, clean and sweet coffee.
Sustainable Harvest
Sustainable Harvest® is a specialty coffee trader focusing primarily on bringing coffees to market that are sourced from smallholder farmer cooperatives in the supply chain such as indigenous communities, women groups and the next generation of coffee farmers.
Their sourcing model is built on transparency, traceability and direct relationships between quality-minded coffee roasters and best-in-class coffee producers. Sustainable Harvest® has an on-site presence at origin with staff in Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Peru. Each office coordinates their supply including quality management, supplier relationships, source development, logistics, training and capacity building.
Coffee in Costa Rica
Thanks to tireless innovations, the sheer number of coffee varieties, extensive technical knowledge and attention to coffee production, Costa Rica is one of the most advanced coffee producing countries in Central America.
The climatic conditions in the country also play a role in the high quality of coffee produced. There are eight coffee regions: Guanacaste, West Valley, Turrialba, Valle Central (Central Valley), Tres Rios, Brunca, Orosi, and Tarrazú, a specific part of Valle Central.
Costa Rica has also become a world leader in traceability and sustainability in coffee production. Ninety percent of the country’s 50,000 coffee farmers are smallholders, and today, many deliver their cherry to boutique micro-mills that often process cherries according to producer specs to retain single-lot or single-farm qualities.
The rise of micro-mill processing, in itself, is a relatively recent development. Prior to the early 2000s it was common for smaller producers to deliver their cherry to cooperative-owned mills. As lucrative specialty markets developed, more and more farmers began establishing mills on their own farms, giving them increased control over processing and more assurance of the ‘traceability story’ so important to the growing market segment. Mills with excess capacity would then offer their services to neighboring farmers, offering a range of processing methods for small lots along with full traceability for roasters and importers. The system has enabled Costa Rica’s small to mid-sized coffee farmers to offer a wide range of differentiated products. Today, specialty lots from Costa Rica are almost as likely to bear the name of the micro-mill where they were processed as that of the producing farm.
The typically uncertain and dry weather patterns in Costa Rica make coffee farming more difficult. Long dry seasons and unpredictable weather patterns have virtually eliminated the possibility of organic farming. Nonetheless, both the government and farmers have taken active steps to protect the environment. Some of these restrictions also inform the processing methods for which Costa Rican coffee has become known.