The property maintenance and agriculture husbandry is meticulous - I mean the plants and planted areas would not be out of place at RHS Wisely or press day at Chelsea Flower Show.  This high standard is preserved as you elevate through the farm from 1600-1830 meters up the fertile southern slopes of the Volcán de Agua which goes to makes up most of the farm.

All the coffee is shade grown, which protects the plants from direct sunlight and is prime in the maintaining a healthy soil culture, and provides a much needed habitat for birds and insect life. This much needed habitat is extended further in 20 hectares that has been set aside as a natural forested area. Varietals of Bourbon and Caturra grow in sections across the farm and each cherry is hand picked only when the colour signals their absolutely ripe – this compounds the full flavour of the coffee in the cup.

The cherries are pulped on the farm using eco-friendly mills where water used in the wet processing method of the cherries is drained into sedimentation tanks to prevent pollution of the local river systems and is recycled where possible. The beautiful coffee that comes from this farm is either completely sun dried on patios or part dried in a drum dryer and then sun dried – all to the highest standards of quality in Antigua. Each coffee Lot is tagged and has full traceability from picking through to finished product.

“Genuine Antigua” is recognised to be the finest of Guatemala’s exceptional range of coffees, generally highly prized and grown in the Antigua valley, which is encircled by three imposing volcanoes – the Agua, Acetenango and Fuego. The farm has been managed since 1988 by Ricardo Zelaya, the 4th generation of the Zelaya family to have produced coffee at Santa Clara. When talking with Ricardo you can hear and see how committed he is to both quality and sustainability throughout the farm.

All cherry pulp is Vermicomposted with other organic material to foster excellent, nutrient-rich organic fertilizer to be reused in the coffee plant nursery and around established cultivars. Resident farm workers and cherry pickers are well paid and very well looked after in every respect. Santa Clara won 3rd place in the first Guatemala Cup of Excellence in 2001 and was again recognized amongst the winners at Cup of Excellence in 2009 where it finished in 21st place. Santa Clara is also a founding member of APCA, the “Genuine Antigua Coffee Producers’ Association”. An outstanding coffee from an outstanding farm.