PRODUCER FINCA ARTEMIRA

Last but certainly not least from Cajamarca we have Finca Artemira. Nearly bordering Ecuador, a few hours north of San Ignacio is where you’ll find Ebert Huaman Villegas and his family.

Named in honour of Ebert’s mother, who single-handedly raised her five children after their father’s untimely passing ,Finca Artemira lives on today because of family perseverance and dedication.

The farm has cultivated coffee and raised cattle for over four decades, but in 2017, Ebert, a young and determined 33 year old coffee producer, decided to expand and innovate, planting new coffee varieties and experimenting with novel cultivation techniques and processes.

Today, 15 hectares of land at 1700 - 2000 masl are dedicated to coffee production, while another hectare is allocated for fruit and vegetable cultivation.

The farm is a true family affair, with Ebert, his mother, siblings, cousins and an uncle, all contributing to its success.

Ebert recently achieved sixth place in the Expo Cajamarca auction, showcasing his exquisite washed Geisha coffee. This accomplishment speaks to the family ’s commitment to enhancing farming practices, such as implementing agroforestry systems to retain soil moisture and refining the fermentation process for consistent results.

Ebert has also invested in his, and his family ’s future by enrolling in coffee courses provided by Central Cafe y Cacao, a Peruvian organisation dedicated to improving coffee production, processing, and exporting across the country.

He learned at one course about a double fermentation process which he now uses with all of his coffees; this process has garnered consistent results over the years and is as follows: