Terrerito Tribune

Tradition, Timing, and Improving Lives

If December could talk, it would tell you two things at once: slow down and hurry up.

At Finca T, December carries the warmth of the holidays alongside the intensity of peak harvest. It is one of the most important months of our year, quietly setting the tone for everything that follows.

Each season, between 150 and 200 coffee pickers arrive and make Finca T their temporary home. Many return year after year. Some learned to pick coffee from their parents, who learned from theirs. Coffee picking here is not just labor. It is lived knowledge. Families share how to identify the ripest cherries, how to move efficiently through the rows, and how to harvest carefully without stressing the trees. That care shows up later not only in yield, but in the cup itself.

By December, we are typically in our second pass through the fields. The cherries are deep red, fully ripe, and generous. This is when the harvest finds its rhythm. By the end of the month, we usually complete around 40 percent of our total harvest, a meaningful milestone that reflects experience, coordination, and trust within the team.

Around December 20th, Finca T grows quieter. Our pickers return home to spend the holidays with their families. Coffee does not pause, but we do. It is a choice rooted in respect. The break adds pressure, but it is one we plan for. Within a week and a half, January arrives, the team returns, and Finca T hums back to life.

From Cherry to Patio

Extraordinary Coffee is Grown and Can't Be Rushed

Once the cherries are picked, more meticulous work awaits.

Processing is where intention becomes tangible. At Finca T, cherries are pulped in the evening of the same day they were harvested, beginning their transformation into export ready coffee. From there, fermentation takes center stage.

Over time, we have learned that controlled fermentation, when done thoughtfully, brings out depth and balance. Most lots ferment for approximately 14 hours, depending on variety, climate, and the profile we are aiming to highlight. That window was not chosen overnight. It is the result of years of tasting, adjusting, and learning directly from the coffee.

Drying is where patience matters most. Depending on weather, volume, and available space, coffees are dried on patios, raised beds, or mechanical tumble dryers. No single method is superior. The right choice is the one that protects the integrity of the coffee in front of us.

A Quiet Moment on the Farm

Stewardship Beyond Coffee

December also brought a quieter kind of joy.

We welcomed a new calf to Finca T, bringing our number of calves under one year old to four. Moments like this do not impact export volumes or cup scores, but they matter deeply. Finca T is an ecosystem where coffee trees, people, animals, and land work together.

New life has a way of grounding us and reminding us of our responsibility as stewards of this place.

A Night to Pause and Say Thank You

Recognizing the Team That Keeps Finca T Running

The holiday party at Finca T is not about stepping away from the work. It is about acknowledging it.

This is one of the few times all year when we intentionally gather the team to say thank you. We shared a meal, reflected on the year behind us, and handed out small gifts chosen with practicality and thoughtfulness in mind. Useful items, personal touches, and a few lighthearted surprises. Not extravagant, but meaningful.

Part of the evening was spent playing trivia, a mix of Finca T history, farm knowledge, and broader coffee industry questions. It was fun, competitive, and quietly revealing. The answers came easily because this is not abstract information to our team. It is lived experience.

Even during the celebration, the work did not stop. Team members stepped out throughout the night to check on cattle, monitor coffee drying, and tend to livestock. That is the reality of running a farm. Coffee does not pause for a party, and neither does the responsibility that comes with it.

This night exists to recognize that commitment. Finca T functions because of people who are deeply invested in its success, often around the clock. This gathering is one small way we acknowledge that reality.

Christmas with the Children

Improving Lives Beyond the Harvest

Christmas at Finca T is not complete without the children.

Each year, someone from the farm dresses as Santa Claus and brings what we think of as a small Christmas miracle to the kids in our community. Many of the children who attend are enrolled in the free bilingual school located on site, though others from nearby areas join as well.

The gifts are intentionally simple. A soccer ball might appear, but the focus is on essentials. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, socks, undergarments, canned food, and other necessities many families lack consistent access to.

For some of these children, this may be the only gift they receive for the holiday or even for the entire year. That reality shapes everything about this day. We want each child to feel seen, cared for, and valued. The goal is not extravagance. It is dignity, presence, and thoughtfulness.

There is laughter, excitement, and wide eyed joy when Santa arrives. Beyond the moment itself, this tradition reflects something deeper. Coffee may be what we grow, but community is what we are responsible for.

Looking Ahead

Continuity, Commitment, and What Comes Next

As the year comes to a close, we take stock not just of volume or logistics, but of progress.

2026 will bring new challenges and new opportunities, but the foundation at Finca T remains the same. From honoring people, to caring for the land, to producing extraordinary coffee, every step matters.

We are grateful to share this journey with the roasters and partners who value the work behind the bean as much as the coffee itself.

Until next month Finca T Friends!