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Property located in the Municipality of São Sebastião da Grama - State of São Paulo, near the border of the State of São Paulo with the State of Minas Gerais, region of transition between the Mogiana and the South of Minas Gerais regions. The farm has been the property of the Carvalho Dias family since 1890. Fazenda Santa Inês planted its first coffee trees in 1959. Since then it has been producing excellent coffees because of its favorable conditions for coffee plantations; at 1400 meters high, rainfalls of approximately 1800mm a year and excellent fertility soils, coffee adapted very well to the property.
The Yellow Bourbon variety - known for the high quality of its cups - is planted in the older planting fields. The farm is forming new planting fields and recovering the old ones, using new technologies. Always concerned with the quality of its coffees and with preserving the soil, the water and its native reserves, it is adding to the soil organic matter obtained from wild growth clearing and green fertilization including leguminous species to promote nutrient recycling.
The farm has a social development program in which employees receive training courses from SENAR - São Paulo in a partnership with the Sindicato dos Produtores Rurais [Rural Producers' Association) of São Sebastião da Grama - São Paulo. All the employees' children go to school, and additionally receive environmental education and social promotion courses. Workers reside in the farm, where there are 21 houses with running water, electricity and sanitation.
With 118 hectares of environmental interest areas, the farm is recovering its ciliary woods, therefore preserving its numerous water sources.
Coffee processing system
Due to the regions topography, coffee processing, from planting to harvesting, is made manually. Coffee is picked on cloth, thus avoiding any contact of the beans with the soil, consequently avoiding any contamination.
The harvested coffee is washed, pulped and spread on the terrace on the same day, preserving its qualities. Homogeneous lots and of the same day, when partially dried, are taken to the gas drier, at an ideal and constant temperature, until it reaches the right humidity, and only then are they forwarded to the bins. After a period of rest, the coffee is processed and taken to the warehouse, which is specific for coffee storage.
Concern with quality
From planting fields of 1982 of the Yellow Bourbon variety, the coffee was especially prepared for the contest. It was picked on cloth, when there were a high percentage of ripe beans, transferred for processing on that same day, where it was washed, pulped and spread on the terrace, to avoid any fermentation.
It remained on the terrace and was rotated the largest number of times possible during a day, until it was completely dry. After the process was completed it was transferred to the bin, where it remained for a period of 58 days. It was then packed in burlap bags, in pergamino, and then sent to an accredited warehouse.
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