Meet Your Farmers
MIKAVA
Mikava was founded, with their first 6 hectare farm in 2013 in the Historic Colonial pueblo in Marsella, Risaralda. It was the fulfillment of a dream that began in the mid-80s when the Doyle family started a café and roastery in the Pacific Northwest. It was during a trip to Colombia that Paul Doyle and his son, Kevin, were inspired to follow their passion for distinctive coffee and decided to buy a farm and add growing and producing coffee to their resume. The Doyles began growing heirloom varieties that offer distinct and special flavor profiles. Coming from “wine country, ” they experimented with a way to process their coffees by using a common wine process known as carbonic maceration that brings out the complexity, sweetness and florality in the fruit. Mikava has been favored by many competitors around the world and took first place in the 2019 Colombian Cup of Excellence.
Finca Marsella
Finca Marsella is a small farm located just outside overlooking the town and three active volcanos in the center of the Colombian Andes; Nevado del Ruiz, Santa Isabel and Nevado del Tolima.
This farm sits just below the La Nona Reserve protected forest between 1,710-1,792 meters above sea level with an average temperature around 19 degrees Celsius.
Planted here are 1.5 hectares of Bourbon and Typica coffee trees, 3 hectares of Gesha and Enano Gesha, also known as, Dwarf Gesha, and .5 hectares of Sudan Rume. The farm is dissected by a water way coming from the Reserve called Que Brada La Nona. A large portion of the farm and its borders are surrounded by protected forests. There is a unique micro-climate at Marsella that brings rain showers, thunderstorms, and cooling breezes, making this location exceptional for producing rare, distinctive, and award-winning coffee.
Marsella is where the coffee processing occurs in a solar dryer, known as a Marquesina, on multi-tiered raised drying beds where temperature and humidity are carefully controlled through diligent tending and turning daily by full-time staff.
The staff have played an instrumental part in Mikava taking first place in the 2020 Colombian Yara Champion competition and second place at the ExpoPlanadas 2019.
Finca Santuario
On an adjacent divide of the Andes range, viewable from the farm in Marsella across the valley, Finca Santuario is located at base of the East face of Tatamá National Natural Park. A mountain reserve located in the transition zone between the Andes and the Colombian Biogeographic Pacific Area.
Below the temperate cloud forest of Tatamá, finca Santuario produces 6 hectares of Gesha and a small plot of Ethiopian heirloom varietals at elevation ranges between 1940 – 2000 meters above sea level. At higher altitudes and cooler temperatures, we’re able to process and ferment these coffee cherries for prolonged periods of time that helps us develop delicate and complex flavors.
Noe, the majordomo (manager), has been managing this farm for over a decade, and has seen this farm develop and transform through the vision that Paul brought with him. Noe and Paul together planted each coffee tree and began replanting shade trees beneficial for coffee. He and his wife Nena, look after the farm and the full-time staff who pick coffee year-round.
2019 Colombia Cup of Excellence winning farm.
