El Cipres, El Borbollon, El Salvador | Natural MUK-8060

Located on the north slopes of the Picacho Volcano in the Balsamo-Quezaltepec coffee region, in the municipality of Nejapa, Department of San Salvador. The estate has been in the family since 1880 after being bought by Dr. Emilio Alvarez Lalinde when the family migrated to El Salvador from Colombia bringing with them their ancestral knowledge in coffee production. The estate is now run by the Alvares Gallardo family who took over in 1992 bringing a new passion and dedication to the farm working hard to achieve RFA certification as well as improving all aspects of the estate. The estate is made up of 90 hectares of coffee producing land and 5 hectares of natural forest allowing the wildlife to flourish. Starting at 1070 masl the farm is a long thin strip which climbs up to 1800 masl producing 3000 bags annually. The Estate has also re introduced the old practice of agobia cutting and growing which has significantly helped to improve yield where the trees are bent over and tied to the ground to keep producing whilst new shoots grow vertically. There is a strong family and social aspect to the El Cipres Estate as the family works hard to ensure all workers are treated with respect and dignity. There is a permanent staff who live on the farm whose food is subsidized all year round. In the houses they have also provided new efficient reduced smoke cooking stoves as well using volcanic stones as a filter of waste water to reduce pollutants reaching the soils. During the picking season the workers also receive meals and coffee each day as well as a nutritional drink every other day to help promote worker health. The farm also supports the local school which neighbours the farm subsiding the teaching assistant at the school. They have also helped with the supply of a computer and as well as provide sporting clothes for the games classes.