Notes: Melon, Pear, Cherry & Milk Chocolate

Farmer: Frank Torres
Farm: Finca la Indonesia
Variety & Process: Honey washed double-ferment Caturra
Region: La Pradera
Altitude: 1800+ masl
Source Partner: Shared Source 

​Additional Information via Shared Source:

We have long loved buying coffee in Nariño, and Frank Torres has been a big part of our love affair. Nariño is geographically, climatically and culturally very distinct from neighboring states, and the cup profiles are no less unique. Rich volcanic soils and an Andean climate (meaning a truly distinct harvest season where the rest of the southern states are picking coffee all year round) make this a captivating, vast and in many areas, uncharted territory. Producers are small, biodiversity is traditional, soils are nutrient rich and well-drained, and we consistently purchase sweet and complex coffees here.

The Torres family today is made up of four siblings managing their 2 hectare farm Finca La Indonesia together in La Pradera, Nariño- Juan Angel, Gabriel, Frank, and Yorgeny. The farm was left to them by their father, Arbey Torres- the family has been cultivating coffee for more than 50 years. Today, the family farm is led by Frank, and this younger generation has focused on cup quality and environmental protection, transitioning 
towards a more sustainable form of agriculture. Together they’ve all planted and preserved lovely varieties like caturra and bourbon, and Frank has partnered around town to manage other small plots as well with “fancy” varieties: pink bourbon, aji bourbon, maracaturra, gesha and sidra. Frank and his siblings have also focused on soil conservation, encouraging more bee activity within the farm, and planting more shade trees. Frank has been consciously working to return organic material to the soils with the hope of fully transitioning away from using chemical inputs, and his siblings are on board, and managing their plots in a similar manner. The worms in Frank’s vermiculture project farm happily munch on the discarded cherry skins and pulp, and the worm leachate or juice is used to create nutrient-rich fertilizers that are returned to the soils.​

See producer profile photo for additional details.