Colombia Huila Finca Los Ángeles Pink Bourbon washed

Colombia Huila María Bercelia Martínez Finca Los Ángeles

Maria Berzelia was born in the department of Nariño. After a few years, she moved to Putumayo, where she met her husband, José Via Ney’a Erazo. They have three children: Andrea Jacqueline, Diego Fernando, and José Daniel. The Erazo Martinez family lived in Putumayo, one of the coca-growing regions that was particularly affected by violence in Colombia. They owned a small farm where they raised cattle, but they did not have access to a school for their children. So they decided to move to the nearest city to give their children an education. In 1999, violence in Putumayo reached a terrifying level, forcing them to flee their home due to the FARC guerrillas. A few months later, they managed to settle in Pitalito in the province of Huila, where they could start a new life. Andrea, the eldest daughter, began a career as an accountant, Diego was able to continue his technical studies, and José Daniel, the youngest son, became a dentist, but they did not have the money to pay for the final years of his studies. In 2010, they bought the Los Angeles farm, seeking a more stable and peaceful situation than the one they had lived in before. They began producing coffee despite their lack of experience, but with support from FNC advisors, they learned about all the processes involved in cultivation. They have been producing specialty coffee for years, with a commitment to transparency. The Erazo Martinez family has farms growing Pink Bourbon, Geisha, Caturra, and Castillo varieties. The fermentation process lasted 30–36 hours to bring out the best flavors. María Berzelia took part in the “Colombia Land of Diversity” competition, where her lot was among the 70 best out of 1,100 entries. Pink Bourbon is an Ethiopian Heirloom variety (or subvariety)—although until recently (around 2023), it was thought to be a rare, spontaneous hybrid or mutation of the Red and Yellow Bourbon varieties.