At Aldea Development's coffee processing and training center (the beneficio), we are always trying to learn more so we can share that knowledge with coffee farmers. During this past harvest, we conducted a coffee drying experiment with the support of Michigan's Spring Lake Rotary. Below is a report on the experiment: Goal To give advice to farmers on the best method for drying their coffee, to get a higher quality coffee and therefore a higher price from selling to Aldea Development. Introduction Before the drying experiment can begin, picked coffee is processed to remove pulp, and then it is fermented and washed. These steps remain important for obtaining a high quality coffee, but the next
We talk with Aldea Development employees Pedro Hernández and Martir Alvarado about our Community Partnership Program and the community projects we've been working on this summer: Q: What have you noticed new this year with the Community Partnership Projects? Pedro: We're seeing that the groups are doing their work with love as if it were for their own personal benefit, not just for the community they are partnering with. I also see that each year there is growth between the group and the village: the groups start to know the children's names, and the community remembers by name the ones who have visited for multiple years. The groups are making many friendships in La Unión itself, with t
