Jose Humberto Estela Vasquez | Region: Cajamarca, Peru | Varietal: Caturra | Mill/Washing Station: On the Farm | Importer: Red Fox Coffee Merchants | Processing: Washed | Altitude: 2,284 MASL
Our average cupping score: 87
About the Producers
Jose Humberto Estela Vasquez began farming coffee five years ago at El Eucalipto, his farm in Peru's remote Querocoto district. He prioritizes agroforestry, integrating coffee with protective trees to benefit his family and community. Querocoto is located in Cajamarca, historically a cattle-grazing area. In the early 2000s, locals returning from harvest work in neighboring provinces successfully introduced coffee, which adapted perfectly to the high-altitude climate.
What makes this coffee stand out
Ayni is an ancient Inca practice of mutual aid that remains vital in Quechua communities today. Rooted in the principle of reciprocity, it involves families and neighbors exchanging labor during critical agricultural periods like planting or harvest, with the understanding that the help will be returned when needed. This traditional system, which predates currency, strengthens social bonds and ensures collective survival without hired labor. In Peru's Querocoto district, coffee farmers rely on Ayni to manage harvesting.
