Last July we have visited Juan Peña’s legendary farm, Hacienda La Papaya in Loja, 200km away from the historical city Cuenca. Hacienda La Papaya started out as a rose farm, but after a failed harvest 11 years ago, Juan made the staggeringly successful switch to coffee farming. Since then, his award-winning coffee has been brewed globally on national and world stages.

Remnants from the rose farm that are still in use today include unique fertilizer mixes, irrigation systems, and automatic sensors all around the estate. While the natural soil is typical of the surrounding area, the extensive way Juan fertilizes and irrigates his coffee trees makes all the difference.

Hacienda La Papaya also uses a dedicated greenhouse as a drying station, extending the drying time with minimal effects from humidity or rain. Here, they’re also experimenting with different processing methods and investing in equipment like oak barrels for fermentation.