Fazenda Recreio was a finalist and even a winner of “Cups of Excellence”, confirming that the farm is particularly suited to the production of high-quality specialty coffees from Brazil. The farm is located in the city of São Sebastião da Grama, São Paulo. It features excellent characteristics such as fertile soil, mild climate, elevation varying from 1000 to 1300 meters, good exposure to the sun, all of which make up the perfect environment for the development of coffee crops.
The five generations of family have been harvesting since 1890 and harvested their 120th crop in 2017. The harvest, which is done by hand over cloths, begins in the middle of May, when the fruit displays good maturation. The drying process is by the wet method, pulped natural, in which the ripe fruits are separated from the others and mechanically pulped. The picked coffee is washed, separated, pulped and spread on the same day on the patio, remaining there until reaching an average humidity of 20%, to then go to the dryer. The coffee dries until it reaches 11% humidity, only then is it sent to rest boxes to “rest” and homogenize the drying. It remains there for at least 30 days and after this continues processing.
All the coffee produced on Fazenda Recreio is tracked, from harvest to shipping and storage in warehouses. This work guarantees the quality and the origin of the coffees produced, which is referred to as Recreio Estate Coffee. Quality is the main focus of the farm, in order for this to occur perfectly, courses on coffee crop management, application of pesticides, post-harvest processing, and sanitation of tools and machines are taught. Always thinking about avoiding exposing the recently picked beans to sources of contamination as much as possible. Due to the topography of the region, all of the handling of the crop is done by hand, therefore the farm has 68 houses with all necessary infrastructure for the comfort of its employees. It promotes sports and culture, having a soccer field, a church, a health clinic, and a computer lab for the workers’ children. There are about 45 full-time works and 100 temporary ones who are hired for the coffee harvest. The owners’ concern for the environment is also notable; the farm has an extensive area for environmental protection, with native vegetation and exuberant fauna and flora. Along the same lines, a program to reclaim the innumerous springs and riverbanks is being undertaken. Environmental conservation classes and ideas about sustainability are passed on to the employees and their families.
