Today I’m going to tell you about the last coffee plantation I visited in Brazil, in the Minas Gerais region.
As you may know by now, thanks to the IWCA Italia Association (International Alliance of Women in Coffee, Italian chapter) of which we at Ernani have been members since 2022, I had the opportunity to visit some coffee plantations for the first time.
As a first destination we have selected Brazil, with which we have established a great relationship of trust and mutual collaboration over the years. In particular with the Cafè da Rosa project, part of the Brazilian women’s alliance, created by Flavia and Gustavo and their coffee export company Arara coffees.
Flavia and Gustavo were also our guides for the entire week spent on the plantation tour. From the first moment, they proved to be welcoming and extraordinary people, with an immense heart and an unbridled passion for this world.
Their primary mission is to make growers strong, educated and knowledgeable, so that they get proper recognition for their hard work.
Here they are:
In the six days we spent together discovering the Minas Gerais region, known for the high quality of the coffees produced, I was able to better understand the entire production process and consequently the entire coffee chain.
To sum up: it was an experience full of strong emotions, made of scents, colours and people.
The stages
We departed from Milan to land in São Paulo, from there we immediately got into the car, heading towards Santa Rita de Cassia, Sapucai City for our first stop at the Agrorigem testing laboratory run by all the women of the second generation of farmers.
Towards evening we arrived in Santo Antonio do Amparo City to visit the Peixoto family farm. And it’s about them that I’m going to tell you about today!
The next morning we arrived at Divisa Farm in Olivera City. Today I want to tell you about the owner, Thais!
Then we moved in the afternoon to Luiza of Trunk Tapera Farm, near Boa Esperanca, a beautiful town on the lake.
On the third day, we spent wonderful hours in the company of Maria Helena, owner of Cafe Especial Brunelli, in Ingaì City.
After a day of rest, spent in a pretty historical village called Tiradentes, we then left for the world’s largest cooperative in the coffee sector, to find out about the big companies and their modus operandi. Guaxupe showed us every single step regarding the analyses carried out on the raw coffees before export and all the parameters to divide the beans into batches, each with its own characteristics.
Finally, on the sixth day we concluded our road trip from Lais of Nossa Senora Das Gracas and Eldorado plantation to Ibiraci City.
Divisa Farm
Thais Pimentel is the third incredible woman we met on our journey, and the owner of Divisa Farm, located in the Campo das Vertentes region.
His plantation represents a great example of tradition combined with innovation.
Thais, I would define her as a free spirit, as well as one of the most dynamic figures I have met, always full of contagious energy. She inherited her passion for coffee from her father and, since she took over the management of the farm, she has continued the cultivation with a strong focus on quality and sustainability.
We spent a morning with her among expanses of drupes in the sun and fields colored with a lush green.
We also had the opportunity to experience first-hand the harvesting of coffee using the stripping method, which is manual, immersing ourselves for once in the daily work of a plantation.
After that, the fruits are spread out in the sun to dry naturally, using sheets to avoid contact with the ground and thus preserve the integrity of the coffee. This artisanal technique is essential to maintain the purity and quality of the harvest. This phase lasts about 15/25 days. Thais explained how careful control of temperature and humidity during this period is essential to enhance the organoleptic characteristics of the coffee.
Finally Thais also explained the fermentation techniques used to enhance the unique characteristics of the coffee, producing beans with SCA scores between 83 and 86 points.
Among its lands you can find coffee trees, interspersed with other types of plants, including tall trees and windbreaks.
Why IWCA?
The adhesion came spontaneously, given Thais’ dedication to sustainability and respect for fair and equitable work for her and all her collaborators.
The most important issues she supports are gender equity and education, because only with knowledge can we truly consider ourselves free and independent, able to make autonomous and sometimes even risky decisions, but with a view to a better future.
Grown Coffee
Its specific plantation is located in Brazil, in the Minas Gerais region, Campo das Vertentes, starting from 1000m above sea level.
The cultivated varieties are Catuai, Arara and Topazio.
The end result is aromatic, flawless coffees, with aromatic notes of fresh fruit and dried fruit, with a beautiful and decisive nuance of chocolate.
The visit highlighted not only the excellence of the harvest, but also its commitment to continuously improving the quality of the coffee. The dedication and meticulous care of the plantations make Fazenda Divisa a model of excellence in the Brazilian coffee scene.
An inspiration for all of us!
Marketing, E-commerce e Social Media Manager
Coffee Lover
