Guatemala - Red El Scorpion - Finca El Farito - Edy Batres

Finca El Farito & smaller subplots are composed of distinct areas across Fraijanes. Together, they range from 1,600 to 1,700 meters above sea level, giving Edy Batres the ability to work across different growing conditions while maintaining a clear sense of regional identity. El Farito is the oldest of the three properties Edy inherited approximately 40 years ago. Around 18 years ago, Edy undertook a significant renovation program, removing and replanting areas affected by phytosanitary challenges. El Chocolate and El Encantadito were two plots acquired within the past seven to eight years, expanding the farm while preserving its small-scale, closely managed character. These three plots support a broad range of varieties. Much of the current production comes from Sarchimor-derived cultivars, alongside traditional selections such as Bourbon, Catuai, Pache San Ramón, and Pache Colís. Edy has also introduced newer varieties, including Obatã, Geisha, Castillo, Parainema, and Anacafé 14, creating a farm that balances resilience, quality potential, and continued experimentation. Coffee is grown beneath controlled shade from banana, plantain, avocado, copalchí, pink cedar, and other trees. Bamboo is planted in selected areas to help stabilize the soil, reduce erosion, and support groundwater retention. Where possible, planting follows the natural contour of the land, and both hunting and unnecessary tree removal are prohibited. Edy avoids herbicides so that ground cover can help protect and preserve the soil. He avoids using insecticides, allowing honeybee and native stingless bee populations to establish themselves throughout the farm. Fertility is managed through a mixed program that includes horse and chicken manure, supplemented by green label fertilizer where needed. A small permanent team supports the farms year-round, with additional workers joining when seasonal demands increase. For Edy, the value of coffee production must extend beyond the farm itself. Better quality and stronger market access should create opportunities not only for the producer, but also for the workers and suppliers who make each harvest possible. This is central to his commitment to UCCAFE. Edy sees the cooperative model as a practical expression of shared strength: not always simple, but capable of achieving more than any individual producer could accomplish alone. His goal is to help secure greater recognition for Fraijanes coffee while continuing to improve quality through farming practices and technologies that respect the environment. El Farito & Annexes offers the kind of sourcing relationship that is becoming increasingly difficult to find: diversified, carefully managed production shaped by long-term thinking, environmental restraint, and a producer committed to improving both the coffee and the system around it.

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