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Estate Information

California Farm has a history spanning over a century, located in the subtropical region of Norte Pioneiro do Paraná in Brazil, adjacent to southern Brazil.

Norte Pioneiro do Paraná is situated in the specialty coffee production zone. This region lies within the "coffee belt" near the Tropic of Capricorn, featuring distinctive characteristics that its northern neighbors Minas Gerais and São Paulo do not possess.

By integrating specialty coffee from the "Paraná Northern Pioneer" project, California Farm successfully entered the specialty coffee sector.

In 1920, an American company named Leon & Israel acquired this land. The professional management adopted by the American government in Brazil enabled Brazilian coffee to win global reputation among coffee buyers from the 1940s to the 1980s.

During this period, a film titled "Sweet Bread" was shot at California Farm.

In 2004, the Saldanha Rodrigues family acquired the farm.

As a visionary entrepreneur, Dr. Paul Cesar Saldanha Rodrigues always said, "You can always do better."

Initially, lacking coffee-related experience and knowledge, Luiz Rodrigues leased part of the farm to sugarcane farmers, with all income used for the complete renovation of the coffee farm. In 2006, he began planting coffee. By 2008, his hard work resulted in 200 hectares of specially managed plantations of Mondo Novo, Yellow Catuai, and Obatã, while he also focused on professional management and sustainable development of coffee production.

Social and environmental sustainability are important components of the farm's goals. Today, California Farm upholds the mission of "producing high-quality food for consumers, society, and the environment."

Coffee Production

California Farm selects high-quality seeds from partners at IAC (Agricultural Research Institute of Campinas).

Two to three years after planting, following the first spring rains (August/September), the flowers emit a unique fragrance.

Like magic, white flowers transform into solid green small fruits, which can develop into red or yellow coffee berries. The harvest season begins in autumn (April/May) with the ripening of the first cherries and can continue until the following spring (August/September).

Maintaining continuous production of specialty coffee requires combining nutritional planning, pest and disease management, and soil protection measures. For this purpose, California Farm's sustainable production system encompasses all measures, transforming the coffee plantation into one surrounded by nature and human development.

This production system envisions:

• The coffee plantation as part of an ecological-social system;
• Compliance with good agricultural practices throughout the entire cycle;
• Increased organic matter content in soil and reduced use of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides;
• Improved water usage throughout the process;
• Use of IRDS (Integrated Recommendation and Diagnosis System) to ensure flower fertilization and plant nutrition provision;
• Use of compounds in nutritional planning;
• Use of IPMD (Integrated Pest Management and Disease) due to increased "natural enemies" (organisms like birds, spiders that help control pests and diseases), thereby reducing pesticide use;
• Use of rows of windbreak trees to reduce agricultural impact and assist the IPMD program;
• Use of Brachiaria (type of grass) to promote ground cover year-round and prevent erosion. This technology works synergistically with all other points mentioned above, as it reduces herbicide use, improves water use efficiency, and increases organic matter content in soil.

At the California farm, the operation of harvesting coffee berries is considered an extremely important step that affects the flavor expression of coffee beans.

Therefore, when conducting harvesting operations, employees follow these procedures:

• Specific training for employee harvesting operations (all farm employees receive good hygiene habits and harvesting operation training before coffee harvesting begins each year);
• Placing coffee on polypropylene cloth or mechanical harvesting to avoid contact with soil;
• Using selective harvesting in two or three rounds, manual or mechanized, to achieve 100% harvesting as much as possible;
• Transportation, reception, and processing (wet milling) of harvested coffee crops are completed as quickly as possible to avoid chemical and biological reactions that reduce product quality;

The post-harvest stages of coffee berries are divided into soaking, drying, storage, and drying.

All processes are accompanied by professional teams, so each batch of coffee receives different and specific management due to its particularity, in order to determine and identify the inherent sensory attributes of each coffee.

Social and Environmental Responsibility

California Farm's most important asset is its people. Therefore, it is extremely important that employees and their families receive assistance with education, medical support, housing, and transportation.

Through cooperation with the Jacarezinho municipal government, it's possible to provide evening literacy classes and high school education programs for employees. This social project, named "Children of Coffee," has been helping the farm's children attend school since 2007, which is a factor of pride and motivation for employees.

The project has approximately 40 members annually, providing daily tutoring sessions, with additional religious teaching and music classes on Saturdays. In 2011, the San Francisco choir was established. Children also learn concepts of civility and environmental education, acting as "junior agents" to promote sustainability throughout daily life and participation in the local community.

To recognize its potential for community transformation, California Farm often welcomes visitors who understand its history, technology, and production systems. These visitors help spread the concept of truly sustainable agricultural production, creating a better world for present and future generations.

The environmental management program aims to guide farm actions to fully comply with Brazilian environmental legislation. Coordinating high-quality food production with environmental protection reflects ensuring quality of life for current and future generations. This is also the farm's commitment to humanity.

Selected Brazil · California Farm Coffee Bean Information

• Origin: Brazil · Norte Pioneiro do Paraná
• Altitude: 1100 meters
• Variety: Obata (a hybrid variety from Peru and Southeast Asia)
• Processing Method: Washed
• Acidity: Low | Body: Medium
• Description: Flavors of caramel and chocolate, accompanied by nutty aftertaste

Brewing Guide

This is a highly versatile coffee bean that provides excellent experiences with different brewing methods.

1. Six-cup Chemex (Iced)

45g coffee, rinse filter paper then remove, use a small amount of ice to cool the bottom of the filter, pour out cooling ice, add 380g ice, insert filter paper, add coffee grounds, bloom with 90g water (count 31s from water contact), second pour to 270g, wait 30s, third pour to 340g, total time 2min cut off. Shake Chemex before serving.

Description: Slight acidity, prominent caramel sweetness, long-lasting chocolate and nutty aftertaste.

2. Kalita Wave (Flat Bottom)

20g coffee, Ditting setting 6 grind, water-to-coffee ratio 15:1, first pour 50g, bloom 15s, second pour 250g, pouring method: draw circles from center outward, when reaching 3mm from filter paper edge, circle back to center.

Description: Soft, slight acidity, prominent caramel sweetness, full body, chocolate and nuts, persistent aftertaste.

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Important Notice :

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Tel:020 38364473