Finca Lorena, El Salvador

Finca Lorena lies at lies at between 1,150 to 1,250 metres in the foothills of El Salvador’s Santa Ana volcano, in the fertile Apaneca Ilamatepec mountain range. It is owned and managed by Renato Arturo Romero Silva, whose family has been farming at Finca Lorena for three generations. Renato inherited the farm (and much of his vast coffee knowledge) when his father – also Renato Auturo – passed away in 1990. 

The Varietals

The farm extends over twenty hectares, all of which is planted out with Pacamara, Typica, Bourbon and Catimor coffee trees growing in the tranquil shade of native forest trees. Some three hectares are dedicated entirely to the Pacamara varietal, and the rest is an even mix, with a strong presence of the Bourbon trees that have contributed to this lot. 

Sustainable Farming

Renato Romero Silva always seeks to farm in a sustainable and environmentally responsible way. He uses a minimum of chemical fertilisers and herbicides on his farm and enriches his soil with organic matter (much of which is composted by-product from the coffee processing) to ensure his trees have all the nutrients necessary for healthy growth. The farm also collects its own rainwater using tanks and drainage channels. 

Renato raises his own seedlings in the farm’s nursery, selecting the best seeds from the strongest plants to establish his seedlings. He is currently undergoing a project to replant the farm’s older Typica lots with new, more productive Bourbon trees. This renovation of his plantations not only helps maintain high quality and productivity, the young plants will have a greater natural resistance to diseases and plagues such as coffee leaf rust. 

Harvest & Processing

During the harvest, coffee cherries are handpicked only when fully ripe. They are then pulped, fully washed and dried in the sun on patios. The coffee is then rested in parchment until immediately prior to export.