Don Norbey is a coffee producer from Acevedo Huila. He, along with his wife and two children, own and run the farm La Esmeralda. This farm is 12 hectares in size with 5 hectares being assigned to coffee production. The farm is located at 1800 m.a.s.l in Acevedo, Huila. On his farm, besides coffee Norbey also produces plantain and some fruit trees such as lime and mandarin.
Norbey first started out in coffee working as a picker at different farms across Huila and also providing lunch for the workers. In 2005, he was given the opportunity to buy a portion of what is now his farm, La Esmeralda. The income Norbey received from growing coffee on his section of the farm allowed him to continue expanding his coffee plantation to the size it is now.
In 2010, Norbey stepped into the world of Specialty Coffee production and started planting exotic varieties such as Gesha, Papayo and Pink bourbon among others. Norbey tells us that shifting his focus to producing Specialty Coffee was the best decision he could have made. Since making the change, he has experienced greater premiums for his work and gained international recognition for his coffees.
Norbey has seen many changes in the coffee industry over the years. He recalls that 10 years ago, coffee farmers were not aware of the best time to pick coffee cherries. Also, the processing techniques and farming practices were not as sophisticated as they are now. It is because of these new techniques that farmers are now able to produce higher-quality coffees and have a greater understanding of how to achieve this.
