Mexico is well known for its coffee production and the mountainous area around Coatepec is one of the best regions in the Country for high quality shade grown Arabica coffee.
El Retoño Eco Lodge provides coffee tours for coffee and nature lovers. Last week El Retoño hosted a group from University of Northern Kentucky. This was the perfect group: 7 students from the University Honors Program who had recently completed a course in sustainable coffee, their program director and their professor (and her husband who became the group’s beloved mascot). The students were knowledgeable about the whole process of coffee production, interested in learning about the local community and eager to interact with everyone with whom they came into contact. The week with them was a delight.

We discovered new venues of local coffee production. One owner, Fernando Gralle, gave us a tour of his 260 acre plantation which is divided up between coffee production, macadamia trees, a forest reserve and calf production. We hiked all over the grounds, seeing the coffee and calves up close! This is a family operation: the land belonged to his great grandfather who was kidnapped three times during the Mexican revolution and who eventually moved into Coatepec for safety. Fernando’s love for his family history, his dedication to work and his stewardship for maintaining the land is both admirable and inspirational.
Another highlight was a visit to the office of another coffee producer, Jocutla, headed by Eduardo Assad Azuara. This company also produces “specialty” coffee as defined by Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). This is coffee that has no defects and that produces a distinctive flavor. Here we were given another lesson in coffee production and learned that this grower only produces 500 sacks per year, most of which is sold to “boutique” coffee house within Mexico. This coffee, however, has been recognized world wide having won the Gold Medal in 2005 at Ethnic Food Show in London and another gold medal at World Specialty Commodities in Paris. Needless to say, the group stocked up on coffee from both of these local producers.
The tour included visits to historic plantation homes, one of which belongs to Marisa M Gutierrez. The Hacienda de Pacho is truly authentic. As one wanders the extensive grounds it is easy to imagine life as it was more than 150 years ago. This was originally a land grant given to Juan de Quiroz by Cortez in 1592 and was used for the production of sugar cane. In 1620 the property was purchased by Luis Pacho y Mexia and has carried the name of this owner through out its history. It was a sugar cane and cattle hacienda until the introduction of coffee in the second half of the 19th century.
Marisa’s great grandfather purchased the land and buildings in 1843 and it has been in her family’s hands since that time. There is a lovely chapel on the grounds and it is here that the patriarch, Jose Julian and his wife Damiana are buried. Before the Mexican Revolution and expropriation of land around 1910, the hacienda consisted of 1200 hectares. Today it has 25 hectares which were left to the family since they remained living on the property even during the armed periods of the revolution. Today the hacienda has been declared a historical monument by the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History. The manor house and grounds have become a passion for Sra. Marisa whose energy and dedication to the preservation of the hacienda is admirable. The grounds serve, at times, as the backdrop for elegant weddings, banquets and films.

It is through experiences such as these that a sensitivity toward and appreciation of other cultures are transmitted. It is a two-way street. This group left with a deeper understanding of what life was and is like in Mexico. They saw that concerned citizens are trying to maintain a way of life that honors “green” and family traditions. I am also certain that the residents of Coatepec who interacted with this enthusiastic group in song, dance, conversation and visits learned that there are folks in the North who desire to have a first hand understanding of Mexico, its people and their traditions.
Coming together on the common theme of sustainable coffee production provided the “grounds” for a deeper understanding of both cultures.
For further information on tours for your group, log onto www.elretonoecolodge.com