COFFEE GROWER: Don Arnulfo Echeverri Grisales

Arnulfo Echeverri was born in Andes, one of the largest coffee-producing towns in Antioquia, Colombia. His parents were coffee farmers from whom he inherited his love for the plants and traditional methods of caring for them. 

After raising his family, with his kids all grown up, Don Arnulfo took a job on a recreational farm in El Retiro, Antioquia, many miles away from his hometown. On this farm called “Las Soledades,” Arnulfo and his wife Mery share a charming cottage surrounded by flowers, birds, and plenty of native trees. 

All settled into his new job, Don Arnulfo spoke to the farm owners and convinced them to let him use a portion of the land to grow Colombian specialty coffee. Although far away, his love for coffee was still intact, and he saw this as a way of continuing his parent’s legacy. 

Arnulfo was allowed a small lot where he tends to 250 coffee trees which usually yield around 1,540 pounds of cherries per year. Aside from being a passion of his, this lot represents an extra income for him and his family.

THE FARM: “Las Soledades”

Las Soledades sits on an idyllic location overlooking the “Los Salados” natural reservoir at an elevation of 7.218 ft MSL (2,200 meters). It is surrounded by mountains, creeks, and a dense forest in a gated parcellation called Juanito Laguna. Being inside a native forest means Las Soledades is abundant in native plants and animals, water, and rich soil.

The farm gets its name from one of the most famous residents of the area. A beautiful bird often seen around the reservoir perched on tree branches swaging its long tail like an old clock. These birds are commonly known in Colombia as Soledades. The Spanish word “soledad” translates to solitude, a perfect name for this mysterious bird. 

FUN FACT

Las Soledades’ favorite food is the rhinoceros beetle. The birds repeatedly hit the insect against a well-chosen rock to open its hard exoskeleton. When the shell finally gives out, the bird enjoys its delicious contents. You can tell which rocks the Soledades use for the ritual by looking for all the beetle parts spread around it.    

Sounds a little bizarre, doesn’t it?

In these actual eden, Don Arnulfo lovingly grows his plants using methods passed on to him from his parents. His specialty coffee trees grow amongst guava, avocado, lemon, banana, and sweet apple trees. He carefully inspects each plant and handpicks the cherries only when they are perfectly ripe. Depending on weather conditions, harvest usually takes place during June and November. All this work results in an average of 280 12oz bags of premium single origin coffee per year. 

SPECIALTY COFFEE from Finca Las Soledades

Don Arnulfo knows coffee, and his goal is always to produce a delightful cup of Colombian coffee. He grows only Arabica trees of Catuai variety. After harvesting the cherries, he uses the double-washed fermentation method, resulting in an exceptionally clean taste. He then lays the beans to dry naturally under the sun. 

The higher elevation of Las Soledades produces less yield per coffee tree but results in denser beans. Because the elevation lengthens the maturation process, coffee from higher altitudes delivers more intense floral and fruit flavors than its lower elevation counterparts. Moreover, the medium roast highlights taste notes of orange, cinnamon, and hazelnut in the beans.

Given all of Don Arnulfo’s care, it is not surprising that the result is a gourmet specialty coffee. Cupping tests conducted by independent SCA Q-graders have scored coffee from Las Soledades 87 points. These excellent scores are a testament to Don Arnulfo’s devotion as well as to the unique conditions of Las Soledades.