israel

Adjuntas (ad HOON tas) Puerto Rico

United States

Profile Information:

What is your position in the coffee industry?
coffee roaster, coffee grower
Where are you located? ( City and Country )
Adjuntas Puerto Rico/USA
How many years have you been in the industry?
born in coffee culture, then 14 years more recently
About Me:
Retired early from Child Study Team, Newark Public Schools, NJ and started to farm coffee in the premier coffee growing region in Puerto Rico/USA, ADJUNTAS.
Sandra and I live on the farm, only a couple of miles from where my father and his parents lived. My wife says I am happiest farming, but I also love selling our exceptional coffee. Sandra loves meeting people as we talk about our coffee.

I was born in a coffee farm in the hills of Oriente, Cuba, where my Puerto Rican family had migrated. My cousin in NY took me to NY at age 14 and for over 40 years lived in the area, except for 2 Peace Corps years in Bolivian Altiplano. All along I dreamed of owning a coffee farm to produce one of the world's best coffees. See, be careful what you dream about!
About My Company:
Farm: 225 acres 30 acres of specialty coffee varieties (Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra) Use ecology friendly equipment and methods that use little water, much gravity, little energy and previous year's coffee hull as bio-renewable fuel to dry our precious beans using a heat exchanger.

We market green beans and roasted beans locally in Puerto Rico/USA and in the States under the name Sandra Farms 100% Adjuntas Mountain Grown. Web page: sandrafarms.com
Website:
http://www.sandrafarms.com

Comment Wall:

  • Jim

    Nice to meet you. I went to your sight. Your green coffee is kind of expensive it must be good.

    Jul 8, 2008

  • israel

    Jim, since we did not hear back from you, I figured that my message sounded unusual, but then that is the price for speaking out. Since we produce and understand the costs involved, my perspective is different from that of a roaster. When you have a chance, go visit origin during picking season to see what it takes to pick a bushel of ripe coffee beans. You have to have great need to do that work, which is the case of workers in producing countries. Don't get me wrong, I do not like socialism, but those who work deserve to get paid adequately. That is why the Specialty Coffee industry keeps coming up different programs to improve the lot of coffee workers/producers.
    Keep on roasting, and best wishes, israel

    Jul 28, 2008

  • Banana Dang

    Greating Israel! Great to see you here.
    ~Mario

    Aug 3, 2008

  • israel

    Mario/T2: Thanks! We'll learn some of this stuff yet... It's good to see folks planning to see you in Rincon, on the Road to Happiness, and try your great menu; they'll get hooked on the smoothies or the espresso. I tell everyone that you are a barista "fiebru", local parlance for intense. Hope to see you Wed. with coffee requested. Israel

    Aug 4, 2008

  • Banana Dang

    Israel, the coffee you delivered is excellent. I will be ordering another 5 lbs soon. Sandra Farms Coffee is becoming the house brew at Banana Dang. cheers, Mario

    Aug 10, 2008