As devoted coffee drinkers, we’re so excited to share our first Coffee Hacienda highlight!
Adjuntas’ coffee history is rich and stretches back nearly two centuries. As the coldest microclimate in Puerto Rico, The cool and steep mountains of Adjuntas have provided a nearly perfect environment for coffee growing.
In the midst of these mountains rests Sandra Farms, a small family owned coffee farm belonging to Sandra and Israel Gonzalez. For Sandra and Israel, joy doesn’t only come from growing coffee, but also connecting with fellow coffee lovers! Visits to this gorgeous coffee farm are always welcome and the minute you leave you’ll want to turn back for another cup.
Being in the coffee business comes with its challenges. In Puerto Rico, those challenges were exacerbated by Hurricane Maria. After the hurricane, many farmers were left scrambling, harvests were devastated, and there was no immediate program to help farmers. To avoid losing everything, Sandra and Israel made the tough choice of using their Social Security income to hire two workers and finance their farm while they waited for Federal funds arrived.
Now, two years after Maria, their hard work and farming practices have paid off. This year they were able to hire two new workers and optimistic they’ll have a good harvest. Little by little Sandra Farms is transitioning from recovery to growth.
The possibilities for great coffee from Adjuntas are endless. With the demand for specialty coffee growing, Sandra farms is hopeful for the future. If you ever find yourself roaming the hills of Adjuntas, be sure to pay them a visit.
To start your year off right, buy Sandra Farms Coffee or plan a visit! Learn more here.