The Neira Family

A neighbor of the Tantaleans, the Neira family and finca sit 1800 meters high in the mountains of the Barro Negro district of San Ignacio, Cajamarca. Gloria, with her husband Ines, are first generation coffee producers who have embraced the calling of specialty coffee and continuously produce high quality specialty grade coffees.

A typical day for Gloria and Ines starts early with preparation of food for the family and then they head off on their 30 minute walk to the farm with their donkey, "Serrano", named after the high altitude where he was brought from. During harvest season Gloria will make many back and fourth trips with her donkey to drop off the selectively harvested coffee cherries for Ines to begin processing. It will take many trips over several days to complete the harvest and manage the fermentation process. Once the harvest is over every coffee plant on the farm is thoroughly checked to remove 100% of the cherries to prevent disease and pests.

The Neiras, like most producers, have seen massive changes in the coffee industry and work hard to keep up with the ever increasing demand on quantity and quality. From selectively harvesting only ripe fruits to making their own organic compost and following strict organic guidelines the family has set a strong foundation for success. They've recently invested significant time and resources into building well constructed raised and covered drying beds which protect the coffee providing a better controlled drying process which has a significant impact on the resulting quality of coffee.

The Neira's next step is to create what Peruvian producers call a "finca modelo", or a well organized and terraced farm. A reorganization of coffee plants to for better separation of varietals, terraces to better conserve soil and nutrients, and a new method for planting and spacing of plants to make best use of the space owned by Gloria and Ines.

The Neiras are only one farming family we partner with to bring specialty coffee from Peru all the way to coffee lovers all over the US in turn. We've yet to meet Gloria and family in person due to COVID-19, but we eagerly await the day.

30% of the profits made from the Neira's coffee goes directly into their pockets and their community.

Shop now to see what the Neiras and Peru have to offer.

Try the Neira's coffee

The finca

Location

San Ignacio, Cajamarca, Peru

Elevation

5906 ft. (1800 meters)

Size

6.1 acres (2.5 hectares)

Certifications

Organic, Fairtrade

Varietals

Bourbon, catimor, caturra, pache

Processes

Washed

An interview with Gloria

What generation coffee farmer are you?

I'm the first generation in my family to produce coffee.

How many years have you been producing coffee?

I've been producing since around 2010.

What is your favorite part of producing coffee?

The harvest is by far my favorite part.

What is the hardest part about growing coffee?

The harvest is the most difficult. We peform selective harvests now which is only picking the ripe cherries. It takes much more time now.

What challenges do you face?

The rain makes it difficult to carry and transport the coffee. My house is a 30 minute walk from the farm and the rain makes it hard to go back and fourth.

What challenges does your community face?

We don't have roads. Transportation is difficult and cars can't get to many houses.

How has climate change affected production?

It seems to rain more now than before and it affects flower production as well as making drying harder. We have raised drying beds that are covered to protect the coffee from the rain thankfully.

What plans do you have for your farm?

I'm always trying to be a better producer and we are always working to improve the quality of our production. We fertilze every five months using organic guano and composted coffee pulp. I would like to turn my finca into a modern model and build additional covered drying beds as well.

Do you produce anything else on your farm?

Yes, but for our own consumption. We have a garden with vegetables like tomatoes, beats, carrots, cucumbers, onions, lettuce, and some herbs. We also have fruit trees like lime, guava, and banana.

How has the whole coffee production process changed over the years from harvesting to selling?

muchos cambios ha pasado en relaion al cafe, before we used to cosechar todo but now we just harvest the maduros fruits now

What makes you feel the most proud about being a producer of coffee?

I feel proud of the quality coffee our finca is producing now, a coffee of higher quality.

What would you like to say to the people drinking your coffee?

I'd like to say that I am very proud because the coffee we are producing has a great flavor and we are working hard to continue improving it.

Gloria and her daughter Emily with their little helpers. Coffee is transported by donkey from their finca 30 minutes away to be processed next to the Neira home to keep a watchful eye on the proccess.

Gloria turns over the compost the family makes consisting of the coffee pulp and skin along with other organic material collected from all over the farm.

After around 26 hours of fermentation, the Neiras wash the coffee in this pool separating the mucilage from the inner shell that encapsulates the seed to begin the drying process.

Covered and raised drying beds help combate the humid conditions while also increasing the quality of the final product by promoting even drying.

The Neira's finca is sea of coffee, lime, guava and banana plants—and of course a gorgeous view of the San Ignacio mountains and valleys.

After spending time with our great hosts and touring the finca they offered to guide us on our trek across the mountain. Gloria saying, "ay Dios mío", over and over as we slipped and fell on the muddy trails, was a definite highlight.

30% of the profits made from the Neira's coffee goes directly into their pockets and their community.

Shop the Neira's coffee