Producer: Dani & Luisa Gomez
Region: La Ermita, San Agustin
Altitude: 1770m above sea level
Varietals: Pink Bourbon
Dani Ricardo Gómez was born in the village of El Tabor, in a home where effort and sacrifice were the order of the day. His childhood was marked by the tireless struggle of his mother, a resilient and hardworking woman who, as a single mother of four children, supported her family with the only resource she had: her work picking coffee. Without land of their own or a stable roof over their heads, they lived for years in a neighbor's house, sharing the space with the hope of one day owning a home.
Work was part of everyday life, and from a young age they learned that their livelihood depended on everyone's efforts. Their mother, with no other option, took them with her to the farms where she picked coffee, and their siblings took turns helping out. While some filled the baskets with ripe beans, the youngest children watched over the baby in a hammock strung between the trees. This is how they grew up, in an environment where work was not only a necessity but also the greatest lesson.
When his mom finally secured a plot of land to build on, her dream of owning a home began to take shape. The first house was constructed using wattle and daub, built through community efforts known as mingas, where neighbours came together to support each other. Over time, with the help of Councilman Marino Ortega, they were able to obtain a sanitary battery through a municipal government program. Gradually, the family established their home, creating not only a roof over their heads but also the foundation for a more stable future.
Dani started his education at a children's home, but from a young age, he combined school with work. He attended elementary school in the El Tabor neighbourhood and, when he reached high school, had to commute daily to the village school. His days were demanding: in the mornings, he attended classes, and in the afternoons, he helped around the house or worked as a coffee picker. In eighth grade, he chose to return to school in the El Tabor neighbourhood, where the teacher, recognizing his effort and responsibility, allowed him to miss some days to work. However, by ninth grade, he decided to drop out of school to focus entirely on work, prioritizing his support for his family and his own professional growth.
At 17, Dani and his older brother, Carlos, started working part-time on a piece of land where they grew coffee. When there was no work available on that farm, Dani also worked on neighboring farms and seized the opportunity to plant beans on rented land. Over the course of four years, growing beans allowed them to save money, buy tools, and enhance their financial stability.
At 20, Dani met Luisa, and together they began building their family. Due to his close relationship with his father-in-law, Carlos, Dani asked for a plot of land to farm, but at that time, he did not receive a positive response. However, in 2019, Don Carlos acquired a new farm in La Ermita and decided to give Dani and Luisa some land to work on.
Since then, they began planting yellow Caturra coffee and eventually shifted to Pink Bourbon, a variety known for its cold resistance and potential to produce specialty coffee. Although they continued to reside in El Tabor, they frequently travelled to La Ermita, which is located an hour away. The pandemic brought travel restrictions that made accessing their plot even more challenging, lengthening their commute and testing their commitment to the project.
He wanted to produce specialty coffee and learn more about quality and the market. Inspired by the other producers in the area with whom he worked as a harvester, he decided to evaluate his first harvest of yellow caturra through a cupping session.
He learned about the MonKaaba project from Diana Quinayas's husband, Yoni. Motivated by his desire to improve the quality of his coffee, he brought in his first sample. Although his production was still small, it was well-received and marketed as a "Las Nubes" blend. At MonKaaba, he seized every opportunity to learn, participating in cupping sessions where he discovered how to identify and correct issues in fermentation and cultivation.
His commitment to coffee and collaborative spirit also led him to support the MonKaaba team, especially during harvest time. With his most recent harvest, he achieved a significant milestone: selling his first batch under his own name, which represented the culmination of years of effort and learning.
The cherries are harvested every three weeks, allowing the plants to rest for two weeks. The first days picking is placed in a wooden hopper and left to ferment for 24 hours. The second day’s picking is then added to this mass and depulped together on the second day. The depulped coffee, undergoes a dry ferment in ceramic tanks of 36 hours, and then water is added to cover the mass where it is then left to ferment for another 12 hours. The coffee is then rinsed and then left to drain for 1 hour and taken to the drying beds for 12 to 15 days.
