ANTONIO DOMINGO COTA

Antonio Domingo Cota has been a coffee farmer his whole life. At nearly eighty-years-old, the mastery of his craft can be tasted in every cup. He plants a diverse array of trees and shrubs (i.e. avocado, apricot, passion fruit, etc) that provide adequate shade for the coffee and homes for birds, prevent erosion with their roots. He also grows beautiful flowers that he brings home daily for his wife, Eusebia Diaz. This lush ecosystem is pollinated by his bees, whose hives he cares for as part of his farm. His legacy of organic farming with indigenous practices is carried on through his son, Edwin Cota Diaz, who we also partner with.

Antonio is a member farmer who works with Asociacion Civil Guaya’b. Guaya’b comes from the indigenous Mayan language Popti’ and means ‘mutual support’. Over the last few years, quality standards have only gotten better, as the team at Guaya’b works to cup every lot that comes into their processing facility, giving it a score and collaborating with farmers to improve the caliber of coffee they produce. Agronomists at Guaya’b likewise continue to support producers by making plans to acquire new trees to reforest on their farms, and educating them on how to make their own nurseries. The board of directors works to strategically allocate funds and strengthen the social standing of all its members.