Colombia La Camelia Free-Washed

Finca La Camelia is a farm located in El Vergel, Antioquia Department, Colombia. The farm is managed by the Echavarria family. Finca La Camelia was acquired by the Echavarria family and is now one of the founding estates of the Santa Barbara Estate group. It is situated in one of the highest-altitude areas of Antioquia Department, where coffee is cultivated amid a complex landscape of surrounding forests, valleys, rivers, and hills. In this region, even slight differences in topography affect the climate and soil, so the Echavarria family recognized the diversity of microclimates early on. Guided by this philosophy, they expanded their farms across multiple areas of the Andes Mountains, and La Camelia has developed as one of the core estates within this network. By leveraging both natural conditions and cultivation techniques, the farm has expanded and established a reputation as a producer of high-quality coffee. In recent years, Pedro Echavarria and his son, Pedro Jr., have taken the lead in efforts to further improve quality. Through initiatives such as planting in new plots, evaluating production processing methods, and strengthening monitoring, they continue to work to maximize the unique characteristics of each area. Santa Barbara Estate is a production group that manages multiple farms, including La Camelia, which was established in the 1980s, and employs approximately 60 staff members year-round. Staff wages are set above the regional minimum, and some live in housing provided on the estate. During the harvest season, approximately 1,200 additional pickers join the workforce; many of them are local farmers who earn supplemental income through harvest work. In addition, to support the stable livelihoods of long-term employees, the group has established programs such as assistance with land acquisition after retirement and scholarship programs for their children. These initiatives form the foundation for building a sustainable coffee production system in partnership with the local community.