Rommel Melghem

FINCA VILLA LAURA
Producer: Rommel Melghem Mejía and Family.
Altitude: 1450 MSNM
Varieties: Lempira and Catuai
Processing: Washed
Location: El Pastal, Marcala
 

Producer History
I recall my childhood on the farm with my family. Both my parents were producers, and with them we learned how to love the land and nature. Since then, along with my siblings, I have been involved in farm work, harvesting coffee and processing it. I have treasured these memories as some of the best days of my life.

As was expected of me, I continued onto coffee production when I grew up, becoming the fourth generation of a family that had devoted itself to coffee. I had always aspired to have my own land and a place where I could apply my knowledge, experience and family legacy.

It was then in 1995 when I inherited a plot of land from my father where I established my own farm, with the personal satisfaction that I had planted and cared for the first seedlings from nursery.  I traced and carved out the first rows where trees where planted, minding the contours of the land. I designed and created the drainage ditches to help irrigate as well as drain in times of excess rain. I lined my farm with timber trees and designated areas for fruit trees and fvegetable cultivation. All in all, I planned my farm to diversify the use of the land. 

Throughout the farm, there are over ten different species of shade trees as well as native plants. This permits the creation of a microclimate and an ideal space for the propagation of native birds: Emerald tucans, Oropendolas, Torogozes, among others. In all these years I have received the support of my wife and children with great satisfaction, considering that starting a farm requires a great amount of time and effort. They have inspired and motivated me to dream and to make those dreams a reality. 

From my father I learned what is required to develop quality in coffee, and consequently I learned to value traditional arabica varieties. I devoted myself to producing them for their high quality potential.

In 2004 I became a member of Café orgánico Marcala COMSA, and we began to participate in workshops where we developed and strengthened our sense of environmental responsibility and our interest in specialty coffee. In the year 2008 we became organic certified with the support of COMSA and since then we have produced specialty coffees as washed, honeyed and natural microlots. We have managed to develop coffees that have cupped as high as 89 points.

Processing: In order to prepare a washed coffee, we first conduct a selective harvest, ensuring to pick cherries at their optimal stage of ripeness, ensuring they are of a bright red color and that there are no overripe, green cherries or foreign matter. We utilize bags that are washed frequently.

As a family we try to harvest coffee according to the phases of the moon, either when its in a crescent rise or fool moon because we know that at that time there is more salve inside the fruit, developing more fullness and sweetness in the cherry.

When drying,we strive to prolong the drying period of the coffee as much as we can. We have been honing our coffee preparation process since 2008, innovating year by year in order to produce specialty and microlot coffees. We have implemented best practices in processing while maintaining harmony with nature in order to produce the best product.