[vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
FARM – Fazenda Bom Jesus
ALTITUDE – 1270 meaters above sea level
LOCATION – Cristais Paulistas, Alta Mogiana. Sao Paulo.
Fazenda Bom Jesus is the work of couple, Gabriel and Flavia Lancha Oliveira. With a long heritage in coffee culture both are grandchildren of coffee producers. They themselves passed their love and care on to their sons, Lucas and Gabriel junior who are also dedicated full-time to the farm. In 1984 they formed The Labareda Group, diversifying into various rural activities although coffee is still foremost in family hearts and indeed remains their main crop. Fazenda Bom Jesus is located in Cristais Paulistas in the Alta Mogiana Region.
Gabriel and Flavia are more than just a farming couple. Their objective is to sustainably develop their region from a social and economical point of view. Fazenda Bom Jesus was a founder of the Alta Mogiana Specialty Coffee Association – AMSC. It promotes a greater conscience with regard to speciality coffee in the region as well as developing better farm practices. Performance bonus payments are also made alongside employees fixed wages. Flavia verifies that all employees on the farm must be literate and receive specialized training to do their job. As for the workforce, all their children must be enrolled at the local school.
Fazenda Bom Jesus has over 140 hectares of Natural Reserve where a huge diversity of fauna and flora can be found. Annual auditors come to collect data on both vegetation and wildlife which, in turn, is catalogued by Rainforest Alliance researchers. All the products used on the farm are not only allowed but recommended. As it produces its own compost used on the farm. Fazenda Bom Jesus contributes socially with events such as GIMA – where children from 9 small surrounding towns come to take part in a treasure hunt. Over 400 children participate in general knowledge tests and a sports day on the Bom Jesus Farm. Only state educated children take part in the events and the prizes are sponsored by the farm itself.
The coffee is grown at an altitude of around 1,000 metres above sea level. This allows for ideal levels of rainfall of approximately 1,000mm per year. The constant temperatures of 20-25 C make for ideal conditions for the growth of healthy coffee trees and cherries.
Fazenda Bom Jesus Coffee was the first Farm in the Alta Mogiana Region to be certified by UTZ in 2006. Every stage must be monitored and recorded to allow 100% traceability of the coffee, which is only one of UTZ’s requirements. The farm is a member of the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association. Fazenda Bom Jesus has also been Rainforest Alliance (RFA) Certified since 2008. The importance of the certification is for both environment and social reasons. Recycling is encouraged in all farm buildings and the correct use of safety equipment is a further requirement of RFA.
GIMA stands for the Intermunicipal Games to the Environment, a project run by Bom Jesus Farm. See this video link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=9pIT8U3e20E&feature=emb_logo[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]