Nicaragua Finca La Huella Red Catuaí natural

Transparency report:

History
Bruno Mierisch Boettiger, a German geologist, was hired to assist the Nicaraguan government in the construction of their National Railroad in the late 1800s. Upon completion of his work, the Nicaraguan government found themselves unable to pay him, and his companion’s, salaries in full. To complete their compensation, these German immigrants were offered land in the high mountains of Matagalpa. Bruno, and many of his German colleagues, never returned home to Germany. Instead, choosing to take part in the burgeoning coffee revolution taking place in Nicaragua. Bruno’s legacy continues to live on till this day under the guidance of his great-great grandchildren. Bruno’s farm was christened “Las Lajas” (a farm still owned and operated by our cousins) but only had lemons growing on it initially. It wasn’t until the Nicaraguan presidency was held by Jose Santos Zelaya (who’s family were coffee producers) that the Nicaraguan government started incentivizing the cultivation of coffee (with tax cuts, subsidies, etc.) In 1908, Bruno planted his first coffee tree on his farm. The rest is history.

Various
„It starts with a ripe cherry, then it’s about care and diligence during the processing. It takes years of trial and error, cultivar & process experimentation, never being completely satisfied, acknowledging that we do not know everything, never settling for the status quo, and making personal and financial improvements to help us get to the next level. Every harvest we know we can improve something, and we always try. It’s a humbling effort that can only be achieved by focusing on one cherry, one tree, one day, and one bag at a time. This focus allows us to achieve complete lot separation – giving us the opportunity to search for the jewels on the cupping table. It’s not for the easily frustrated or the impatient. In some cases it takes up to 4 years to taste the results of an experiment. The reward of this work is the breadth of unique cup qualities in the lots we offer. A variety of quality that means there is something for most. This is what drives Fincas Mierisch. We hope you enjoy our efforts.“

Process
The natural process begins at the farm by only selecting optimally blood red, ripe cherries. These are then carefully transported to the dry mill where they are then spread as a thin layer. These cherries are carefully moved within their assigned space approximately 3 times a day. We always make sure we do not damage the cherry while they are moved. This process can take anywhere between 20 – 30 days, depending on the weather conditions, until it reaches a humidity range of 12% or below.
All lots are then placed in a cool, well ventilated, warehouse for it to rest for 30 days. After the resting period we proceeded to hull the lot and then let it rest in “oro” (green) for an additional 30 days before it’s shipped.

Sustainabilty
Limoncillo – our only UTZ Certified farm – has the largest area designated to conservation out of all our farms, with 76 manzanas (roughly 53 hectares) of protected land. We make sure to follow UTZ’s pillar, called the three P’s (People, Planet, Profit), in order to better achieve sustainable farming. We provide training in better agricultural practices in order to increase our yield and cup quality, which also leads to lower production costs. UTZ empowers us to achieve more sustainable farming, while also improving worker conditions and protecting the environment.

Although only two of our farms have certifications, this doesn’t stop us from implementing the same practices these certifications require on our other farms. Our commitment to our employees and the environment is not tied to certifications or premiums. It’s tied to a general concern for our fellow humans and our shared environment.

It’s due to our employees that Fincas Mierisch has obtained recognition in the coffee community. We couldn’t have done it without them. Therefore, it’s a crucial part of our operations to make sure our workers are happy and paid fairly. Since most coffee pickers live on the farm with their families during a harvesting season, all of our farms provide child daycare services and have access to elementary schools. Child labor is strictly prohibited on all our farms. During the harvest season, we make sure that the children of our pickers are provided free meals. Discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation is also not allowed in the communities. The majority of our employees (roughly 70%) are women. From coffee pickers to upper management, women have contributed greatly to our growth and quality.

In regards to the environment, we make sure that we do not add any sort of chemicals to any plants that are within 5 meters (around 16 feet) from any source of water. Any water we do use during the wet mill processing is recycled in one of our biodigesters in order to make sure that it is not contaminated. The natural and honey processes do not use any water. In addition, we also make sure to preserve, and grow, trees on our farms. Trees not only provide shade and wind reduction, which benefits the coffee plant, but they also support the local wildlife and vegetation on the farms. Some farms, such as Limoncillo, produce their own renewable energy through our hydro powered turbines.

The fact is, our planet’s climate is changing (and rapidly). Our goals are to adapt to the incoming changes, but also, most importantly, to mitigate our own effects on the environment.