Montgomery Melghem

Farm Name: "Finca San Pablo"
Altitude: 1450 mts
Varietals: Catuaí, Borbón, Icatú
Farm size: 8 manzanas (7 ha)
Harvest: Dec-Feb
Process: Natural Sun Dried
Location: Aldea el Pastal, Marcala, La Paz, Honduras

Finca San Pablo was founded in 1915 by Pablo Melghem, grandfather of the current owner. For over a century the farm has developed the experience and a tradition for excellent methods in production, harvesting and post-harvesting, rendering a bean of an excellent quality. Montgomery is a third generation coffee farmer, having taken up management of the farm from his father Rolando. Harvest Harvest is carried out in the months of December to February, time when sunlight penetrates the farm softly and indirectly due to the abundance of shade in the farm, in the coolness of the shorter daylight hours. Harvesting is conducted by hand, carefully selecting fruit that has achieved optimal maturity, cherries that are freshest in appearance, firm and brilliant in colour. This meticulous cherry selection mandates at least three pickings of the same plant, in order to allow for a superior quality coffee. In the last years COMSA has been experimenting with Honey and Natural coffees, which have rendered excellent cup results when submitted to quality evaluation. Montgomery has opted for some of these non-traditional methods where cherries are laid out to dry in raised beds under cover immediately after harvesting. In this entire process, the collaboration of local workers is immensely important, adding a human element to the gained experience of the farm owner, rendering a coffee of strict quality.