Honduras La Providencia
Honduras La Providencia
We taste: cocoa, nutty, balanced
Farm: La Providencia
Region: Siguatepeque, Comayagua
Processing Method: Washed
Elevation: 1,300-1,400 msl
Variety: Lempira
Your coffee purchase helps to create brighter futures for orphaned children in Honduras!
This coffee was grown at La Providencia, an orphan care community in Honduras operated by Horizon, a global nonprofit radically transforming the way orphaned children are cared for. 100% of the profits from each sale will go right back to La Providencia to support programs that help empower children to hopeful, sustainable futures.
Read on for more info about this project that has been nearly 8 years in the making!
This amazing community in Honduras is comprised of a 12,000 SF medical clinic with two operating rooms and a dental exam room as well as a school with current enrollment at approximately 200 children. In addition, there are four family homes and onsite agriculture including plantains, chickens, and coffee.
The coffee farm contains approximately 7000 plants, and Marvin, an agricultural engineer at La Providencia, says production is set to increase from 1,600 pounds last year to more than 3,000 this year!
The type of coffee plants growing at La Providencia are called Lempira, a variety native to the Lempira region of Honduras, created by the Honduran Coffee Institute. Marvin says the Lempira is a noble bean, resistant to different illnesses plaguing coffee plants. “Of course,” he says, “this depends on proper fertilization.”
Altitude is another major factor in the beans’ development. “La Providencia is situated between 1,300-1,400 meters above sea level, which means the beans can take a bit longer to ripen,” he says. Higher altitude also equals higher humidity, which can mean an increased chance of illness. The soil in the coffee farm is suited to forests, as is evident by the pine trees dotting the landscape between coffee plants. “Where there are pine trees, there is highly acidic soil. We have had to work the soil with materials that help lower the acidity of the soil,” Marvin says.
All of Marvin and the team’s hard work shows up in the cup. This coffee is roasted “medium/dark” to its peak level of sweetness. It’s smooth, nutty, and balanced.
FARM UPDATE! 12/9/21:
SQ1's purchase of this tasty Honduran coffee has allowed “La Granja” (the farm) to expand and accomplish several agricultural projects, including:
hiring the farm manager for full-time work
making preparations for a hog farm
delivering more than 10 different vegetable products to the families in their care
planting more coffee(!) which will double the size of the coffee farm
beginning the coffee harvest for the next export!
It's an honor to purchase the delicious coffee grown at this orphan care community at a price that FAR exceeds Fair Trade pricing. SQ1 is essentially donating all of the profits from this coffee right back to the farm. Purchasing this coffee makes you a part of this good work. Thank you!