There are countless coffee plantations around the world.
Coffee farms of various sizes and types exist in the world's producing regions, from large plantations run by global corporations to very small farmers who plant coffee in their backyards.
 
Among these numerous farms, with the rise of the concept of specialty coffee, which emphasizes traceability and regionality, some coffee farms have become world famous.
 
This series will introduce some of the world's most special "famous farms."
This time we will introduce the Hartman Farm in Panama and the farms owned by the Hartman family.

 

The Hartmann Farm is located in Santa Clara, in the Renacimiento region of Chiriquí province in western Panama. This remote mountainous area is close to the Costa Rican border. The Hartmann family, who founded the farm, have been growing coffee for three generations.

In recent years, the Hartman family farm has made impressive strides in Best of Panama and the quality of their Geisha is becoming known around the world.

 

<Ratibor Jr. and Tessie Hartman of the Hartman family checking out the natural process Geisha >

In the Geisha Natural category of "Best of Panama," the Hartman family's Guarmo Farm won first place in 2020, second place in 2021, and again in 2022, with the Hartman Farm itself coming in fifth place. And in 2023, the "Mi Finquita" brand of coffee won first place in the Varietals category (non- Geisha ). The Hartman family's farms have been winning top rankings in succession.

The Hartman family's motto is "Growing coffee in harmony with the environment." Since the company's founding, they have valued nature and the land, placing top priority on harmony with the environment, and have produced coffee with a consistent philosophy and passion.

The Hartmann family immigrated to Panama from what is now the Czech Republic. The first generation, Alois, started a coffee plantation after World War I, and the second generation, Ratibor, inherited land from his father and founded the current Hartmann Farm in 1940.

 

<The first Alois. He was the first to live in the remote Santa Clara area and start a farm.>

Ratibor has five children (Ratibor Jr., Alan, Alexander, Alice, and Kelly), and currently the four siblings share the responsibility of running and managing the farm and running the Hikaru project, which makes use of the farm's natural environment.
Coffee quality control is handled by farm owner Ratibor Jr., who is a certified Q grader.

In addition to Geisha , Hartman Farm also grows Katura, Maragogype , Pacamara , and Ethiopian landraces, the latter of which he brought from Amarogayo in southern Ethiopia and named "Chichogalo" ("Tough Guy"), after his father's nickname.

 

<Hartman Farm is located in the forest. Eco-tours are also held on the premises.>

This farm is known as an ecotourism farm, taking advantage of its preserved natural environment. The farm is located at an altitude of 1,260m to 1,500m. Surrounded by a vast tropical rainforest, the coffee grows slowly under the shade of natural shade trees.

Ratibor is a bird lover and believes that coffee farms should be located in forests that attract many birds, which is why the Hartman Farms logo features an illustration of a bird.

 

<Hartman Farm symbol>

In addition, the Hartmans have established new farms to meet the growing demand for specialty coffee in recent years, including the Guarumo Coffee Farm, Mi Finquita, and Finca el Higo.

 

<Guarmo farm owner Ratibor Jr. (right) and Tessie Hartman>

Guarmo Farm, which won first place in the Best of Panama awards, is a naturally rich farm adjacent to La Amister National Park, located at an altitude of 1,750m. Facing Baru Volcano to the east, it offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean to the southeast. The well-drained sandy loam soil is ideal for growing Geisha , as well as other rare varieties such as AF-2, Chichogallo, Belloya, AR-36, Mocha, and Pink Bourbon .

 

<Guarmo Farm is located at a high altitude and has a magnificent view>

New farms such as Guarmo Farm use a wide variety of varieties and selection methods, and experimental cultivation and selection are carried out, which may lead to the development of new varieties and selection methods that will carry the next generation.

This is a farm that we will continue to keep an eye on.

 

To commemorate the participation of Shinya Kobayashi , a roaster from Fukui's specialty coffee shop Wakoya, CROWD ROASTER , a luxurious tasting set called "Limited Panama Box 2 feat. Shinya Kobayashi " has been released.

The last time CROWD ROASTER introduced the "Limited Panama Box," a set of three varieties of top-quality, hard-to-find Panamanian coffee, it was a huge hit and sold out immediately.

For the second installment, we will be offering a set of three top-quality Panamanian coffees, each 30g in size, including the hard-to-find Geisha and Hartmann, roasted by Shinya Kobayashi , winner of a Panamanian coffee roasting competition.

This is a limited edition set available at a great price for a limited time only, so don't miss out!

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June 7, 2024

CROWD ROASTER