In the south of Ecuador, in the municipality of Espindola you will find Manuel Efren’s farm, La Cascarilla. Interestingly, the name of the farm comes from a local tree that is used in ancestra  medicine to cure colds. Manuel was born in the countryside, learning first-hand how to manage a farm from his father, who taught him everything about coffee and cattle raising. Eager for knowledge, he learned more about coffee and thus started his own cultivar 25 years ago. But 12 years ago he switched his focus to specialty coffee following his passion to learn more about processing, fermentation and more. He started implementing changes that rendered a better quality. The change has also brought a better income and quality of life for his family, who help him on the farm. One other aspect that sets Manuel apart is his love for the environment that has pushed him to implement environmentally friendly practices. As for example the conservation of native trees and the implementation of beekeeping. His current goals are to standardize the processes to keep improving the quality and have a new and better mill for depulping.
On a final note, Manuel says “We invite you to have faith in us because our coffee is produced by a family that cultivates coffee under the principals of environmentally friendly practices, love and passion for each bean”.