Outpost Coffee Roasters: Costa Rica, Hacienda Sonara, Natural

Hacienda Sonora is located in the Central Valley of Costa Rica at the foot of the Poas Volcano. The farm and mill cover approximately 100 hectares.

This surface is divided into 45 hectares of shaded coffee lands, 35 hectares of wild forest reserve, and 20 hectares of sugar cane plantation. At Hacienda Sonora, coffee plants are surrounded by exotic trees and other vegetation. This biodiversity greatly helps the plants by improving the composition of the naturally rich volcanic soil.

Hacienda Sonora’s own micro coffee mill is built in the heart of the hacienda, next to a traditional 150-year- old sugar cane mill that is preserved intact. All of the coffee on the farm is processed using honey and natural methods. An important advantage of honey processing is the reduction of waste water production in comparison to the traditional wet process. Using the honey method saves more than 3 gallons of water per pound of coffee.

A special feature of the farm is that all the energy they consume is 100% renewable and generated on the farm with a hydroelectrically powered generator. This energy supplies power to the coffee mill and provides free electricity for all the people who live and work at the farm. Hacienda Sonora also pays fair trade wages to all of its workers, which contributes to the welfare of the local community.