Victor Calderon represents the 5th generation of coffee farmers from a family that has been in coffee for more than 100 years; El Tambor, however, is a relatively new addition to the rich mosaic of farms dotting this region of Guatemala, just outside of Guatemala City. 

Victor manages the farm with 8 people who are in charge of their own specific areas and duties. All employees have permanent residence on the farm, and 10% of the farm is given over to the workers to produce their own vegetables. Nearly half the farm has been left under forest, which is set aside entirely as conservation area. In addition to the farm’s permanent workers, approximately 25 seasonal pickers are employed for the harvest.

All coffee is picked and processed in microlots of around 22 bags of pergamino, selected according to location on the farm with attention to varietals making up the lots. Despite the farm’s size, Victor continues to process all of the farm’s coffee using a small pulper with a diesel motor. He points out that not only is this more energy efficient than larger pulpers, it is also more economical: $20 for diesel gets them through a full half of the harvest.