Colombia El Bombo Nº 219

This lot was produced by 15 female members of Asobombo, a farmer cooperative, based in the Huila region; they are part of an ongoing investment to emphasize the importance of women's work in the local coffee community. These skilled producers are dedicated to producing high quality lots, through a focus in cultivation and processing. The women contributing to this lot, and their families, selectively handpick ripe cherry and process it on their farms. They pulp the cherries on small hand-crank pulpers and ferment the cherry in tanks for 12-36 hours. Following fermentation, the coffee (with parchment intact) is washed in clean water and laid in parabolic beds, marquesinas or patios to dry. During the drying process the coffee is raked frequently to ensure even drying. Farms in the Pitalito vicinity tend to be bigger than those of other regions at between 3-5 hectares. Many people migrated to Pitalito in 19th and 20th centuries from Narino in search of affordable, fertile land. In addition to growing coffee, many producers in here grow sugarcane. Asobombo has helped members of the community build mills where the sugarcane can be processed into panela, which can be used or traded locally. Huila is one of the most well known coffee growing regions in Colombia. It is one of three departments where the Colombian Massif is located. The massif is known locally as Nudo de Almaguer and provides 70% of safe drinking water and agricultural water for the Colombian population. The mountain range also features volcanic soil and is home to Colombia's largest river, 'The Magdalena'.