Member Profiles

Location: Volcancito Arriba, Boquete Province of Chiriquí Republic of Panamá.

Contact: Eduardo C. Urriola Real.

Cellular: (507) 6613-2714.

Email: ecurriola@hotmail.com

Farm acquired in 1990 and converted from agricultural activities such as carrots, coffee, lettuce etc. to Arabian coffee mainly Caturra and Catuay. In 2010 the Geisha coffee was introduced in small amount to increase the variety of coffee produced. Using a similar concept this year we will be planting Capamara coffee.

The Estate is compose of two farms, Café Rita Isabel, S. A. and Café Isabela acquired later fully planted with Caturra coffee.

Coffee is planted in a density of 4,000 plants per hectare. This past year 2016 we broke our record producing more than 36,000 latas in 20 hectare that is consider an excellent production. As mentioned above it was our record, our average is less than that.

The soil is the regular volcanic soil found in the Volcan Baru area, in the province of Chiriquí.

The altitude runs from 1,570 meters above sea level to 1,790 meters.

The coffee is mostly sold to Empresas Pascual with the exception of a small amount processed for competition to ensure that we are keeping the proper coffee quality.

Chemicals denominated as Green Label are mostly used.

As most of the coffee farms in the area our employees are native Ngobe Bugle, from the high land of Bocas Del Toro.

We make efforts to keep their children out of the farm, to help us on this action we have a Casa Esperanza teacher in our school giving the kids orientation and providing some nutrition meals to them.

Every year we have a welcome party around the end of the year with special activities for the children and their parents. We bring clowns that entertain them for almost a full day.

Our Permanent collaborators receive a yearend bonus base on coffee production. In order to help them with their expenses our company covers 100% of the social security expenses, this is an indirect salary increase.

The premises are made of cement with quarters properly maintained for permanent employees and coffee pickers.

Our effort are to maintain an adequate labor environment, respecting all laws and high effort of ecofriendly.

Paso Ancho, Chiriquí

Contact:

em@il: santamariaestatecoffee@gmail.com
Instagram & Facebook:  @santamariaestatecoffee

Edwin Santamaria
+507 6616-5947
santamaria.edwin@gmail.com

Edwin Santamaria Jr
+507 6925-7128
edwinsan23@gmail.com

The Santamaría Estate Coffee farm is located in Paso Ancho,  Tierras Altas District, Province of Chiriquí, Republic of Panama. The lowest point of the farm planted with coffee is 1564 m.a.s.l. while the highest point reaches up to 1946 m.a.s.l. The total farm area is 120 ha of which currently 60 ha are planted with coffee of varieties Caturra, Typica or Criollo and Geisha. The soils have special volcanic characteristics and together with certain amount of rainfall per year and varieties of high quality Arabica coffee produce coffee beans that have very special aroma, acidity and body.

This farm was taken into operation in 1950 by its founder Don Urbano Santamaría (RIP) who established the coffee plantations to sell to the Martins family, the owner of the Finca La Florentina S.A., situated in the neighbourhood of the property of Ing. Santamaría.

He began planting tall Arabica varieties like Criollo, Bourbon and Mundo Novo at a density of 1800 seedlings per hectare.

Due to health reasons Don Urbano Santamaría handed over the administration of his estate in 1980 to Don José Luis Santamaría, who continued with the farming practices and maintenance of the estate. He began to plant low tree but high-yielding variety such as Caturra, which has become predominant variety on the farm and currently accounts for 80% of its production.

In the 1990s Ing. Edwin Santamaría took over the management of the farm bringing a new dynamic to it, improving the planting and production processes that helped to increase productivity and significantly improved coffee quality. It is already the third generation of coffee farmers devoted to their work.

Due to the introduction of the Caturra variety on the farm, the planting density had been increased to 3 600 seedlings per hectare as Caturra was replanted in between tall varieties. This produced a unique combination in all lots, and at that time this diversity resulted in high-quality coffee and improved production per hectare.

The brand name of the specialty coffee produced by the company is SANTAMARÍA ESTATE COFFEE.

The farm produces specialty coffee of high altitude (from 1 564 to 1 946 m above sea level). The coffee produced at this height is of excellent quality, and it has all the characteristics to be graded as specialty coffee SHB (Strictly Hard Bean) on the international market.

The coffee was cupped by local and international specialists and green label characterized by its distinctive aroma, flavor and body, meanwhile the cup profile showed chocolate notes, with a medium to high acidity and a pleasant aftertaste.

The farm is looking to apply environmentally friendly agricultural practices for example applying organic agricultural products and in green label it is not allowed to apply insecticides, cut the trees and hunt. In addition, the farm keeps certain areas as a forest reserve with sources of crystalline potable water that provide water to cooperating families and also to the ecological processing plant.

Finca Santa Teresa (FST) is a UTZ certified boutique coffee farm and mill nestled high in the cloud forest near the Volcan Baru. We produce a range of premium specialty coffees, including Geisha, Caturra and Catuai varietals.  Our Geisha is a regular winner in the Best of Panama competition, with more than a dozen awards in the last decade.  Our terroir – rich volcanic soils, high altitude, weather systems driven by the Pacific and Atlantic and a series of ridges and valleys – drives coffee redolent of honeysuckle, lychee and strawberries.

All our coffee is carefully handpicked and processed at our mill which is located on the main, larger farm that comprises FST.  The smaller farm – Batista – is a short drive away and is separated by virgin forest and our water source, La Llorona.

We offer a wide range of washed, honey and natural green beans from more than 20 microlots.  Our raised drying beds are carefully tendered each harvest and some of the finest coffees we produce are honey and natural prep.  We have a guest cabin on our farm which offers visitors the opportunity to wake up to a sunrise, overlooking the rolling clouds over La Amistad National Park and, in the distance, neighbouring Costa Rica.

We pride ourselves on producing the very finest coffee in a sustainable manner, environmentally and socially. Our farm is UTZ certified meaning we comply with their sustainable standards and implement better farming practices, with respect for people and the planet.  We have built our own school for the young children of families who work on the farm each harvest and we work with the charity Casa Esperanza.  Casa Esperanza Panama provides opportunities for children and teenagers by providing access to health, nutrition and training services as well as teachers for schools. In turn the goal is to empower the children to educate their families and give them the skills to gain meaningful employment in the future to support their family.  FST supports this charity by hiring teachers for the children of the farm.  In addition to this we work with the local hospital in Volcan, ensuring regular medical visits and providing health education for the staff.  We are in the process of converting as much of the farm as possible to solar power.  Our staff have also formed their own football team that is regularly placed at the top of the local league!

Website: www.fst.com.pa
Contact: enquiries@fst.com.pa
Instagram: @fincasantateresa

FST, Volcan, Chiriqui – Panama 04-03-2016
Photography © Aaron Sosa