Snow Day

Moises Herrera and Marysabel Caballero are two of my favourite people in the coffee world. They are kind, humble, funny, hospitable and really damn good at growing coffee. The duo is no stranger to coffee. Marysabel is a fourth-generation coffee producer originally from Marcala and Moises, who is originally from Guatemala, has been growing coffee for decades. 

Farm workers, family members and friends are all attracted to Marysabel’s smile and positive personality.  One of my favourite things to do when I visit is to walk around the town of Marcala with the beloved Marysabel as nearly everyone she walks by stops to give her a hug and speak to her. Inevitably, most interactions end with someone giving Marysabel flowers, fruit or home baking.

Moises and Marysabel grow mostly Catuaí through their various family farms in the Xinacla region of Marcala. Marcala is quite different from other coffee growing regions.  It’s quite dry, rocky and full of pine trees. Moises is a real student of coffee and he’s not afraid to experiment and drift outside the box. He is presently experimenting with over 25 varieties of coffee with the hopes of planting some of the varieties in larger quantities. Moises and Marysabel show great interest in the environmental sustainability of their farms. They have maintained a fair amount of shade in their farms (mostly from citrus, avocado and banana trees). Marysabel’s dad has a cattle farm at their house and they collect the cow manure and mix it with pulp from the coffee cherries and chicken manure to create organic fertilizer. This care and attention are the right ingredients for creating a healthy and sustainable environment for the coffee trees.