Department of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala

Finca Chamtáca is located in the Department of Alta Verapaz in Guatemala.  The area is commonly associated with the departmental capital of Cobán and is marked by green-clad mountains and misty cloud forests that envelope the horizon.  East of Cobán in a solid coffee and cardamon producing area, Finca Chamtáca sits above 4,000 feet in elevation allowing it to produce 100 percent Strictly Hard Bean Arabica Coffee.

The farm has a rich tradition of sustainable agriculture, most notably exemplified by their integrated pest management system and composting of coffee hulls to produce rich organic matter that replaces synthetic fertilizer.  The farm operates its own tree nursery and practices regular pruning and tree replacement to ensure the health of the coffee trees throughout the farm.

Once the coffee is harvested and de-hulled, the parchment coffee is dried on cement patios when there is enough sun, but oftentimes it must be mechanically dried to avoid spoilage as sunny days can be rare in the cloud forest.  Mechanical drying makes use of a wood fired kiln supplied with wood produced by the farm's coffee tree pruning practices.  The parchment coffee is then hand sorted by skilled farm workers to eliminate any foreign materials and low-grade beans from the coffee before it is processed into green coffee ready for roasting.