Julio Cesar's La Esperanza farm is located in the Meta region of Colombia at an altitude of 1,300 meters (about 4,000 feet) above sea level. It is a small farm with 2.63 hectares (about 8 acres). It produces three varieties of coffee: Caturra 70%, Tipica 20%, and Colombia 10%. The farm borders the Natural Reserve “Parque Nacional Natural Sumapaz”, located in central Columbia. All local farmers are working to reduce the negative impact of coffee processing in their own lands. For example, the establishment of live-barriers, conservation of natural water, coffee process using de-pulping machines and natural fermentation. Coffee processing by-products are used to make organic compost. These coffee beans were wet processed (washed).
Julio César Muriel Duque was born in the Municipality of Cubarral, State of Meta. He attended high school in “Concentración de Desarrollo Rural Medellín del Ariari” in Meta. He has a degree as an agricultural technician. He studied also in SENA – Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje – about management and conservation of soils in the village “Brisas del Tonoa” in 2004. He is the manager of his farm with the assistance of his wife and his father.
After three successive rounds of blind cuppings the International Jury gave it a cupping score of 84.45.
