Peru Pichanaki Alex Gómez

Alex Gómez's 4 hectare coffee farm is in the Junín region, Monte Sinaí to be exact. His coffee farm makes up about 1/3 of his property, and is planted in Marsallesa, Bourbon, and a Castillo. His farm is at a modest altitude of 1480 meters above sea level, and is situated in an old patch of pine trees. His coffee is one of several purchased from the Cooperativa Valle Uburiki, a coffee farmer's association that operates in Pichanaki. Alex is actually the current general manager at the coop, a position he's been elected to by his piers 3 times in a row. The coop is nearing its 20th year, and boasts a membership of 550 small holders in the region. They are buying directly from the producers and offer different services for the members like business loans, drying patios and other processing improvements, coffee storage bags, organic fertilizers, and so on. The small premium they receive for their Fair Trade certification helps to fund those endeavors. They also have a technical support staff who provide agronomical assistance, and in the past few years jump started an organic farming initiative that they are rolling out to their coop members.