Mount Totumas

The story

Mount Totumas was established in 2008 when brothers Michael and Jeff Dietrich purchased the land, which was originally used as cow pastures. The property was developed into a cloud forest reserve and coffee farm, with 30 hectares reforested to support the natural habitat. Today, the farm is operated by a community including Karin de la Rosa, who manages coffee production and export.

Challenges

The farm operates within a high-altitude cloud forest environment, requiring careful management of the delicate ecosystem to maintain coffee production alongside conservation efforts.

Innovations

The farm utilizes an ecologically-oriented approach that integrates coffee groves into the natural forest, benefiting from native nitrogen-fixing trees, local pollinators, and wildlife for fertilization. They have also implemented specialized processing techniques such as cold fermentation and extended fermentation to enhance cup quality.