TUCKED AWAY IN THE PUERTO RICO RICAN MOUNTAINS, A COFFEE FARM WELL WORTH THE HIKE

Coffee has a lengthy history in Puerto Rico. Spain brought the crop to the island in the 1700s, and by the end of the 1800s, Puerto Rico was the sixth-largest coffee exporter in the world, despite its small size (100 miles long and 35 miles wide). Grown from coastal regions up to elevations of over 2,000 feet, Puerto Rico’s coffee was a source of great pride.TUCKED AWAY IN THE PUERTO RICO RICAN MOUNTAINS, A COFFEE FARM WELL WORTH THE HIKE

But over time, due to various reasons (including import costs, recession, and natural disasters), the number of coffee farms in Puerto Rico has shrunk from 21,693 registered farms and ranches in 1899 to 1,251 in 2018. Despite the challenges, there is a growing movement of sustainable producers intent on honoring Puerto Rico’s rich coffee harvesting traditions.

One such example is Sandra Farms in Adjuntas, located in the midwestern mountains of the island. Although just two hours southwest of San Juan, the farm of 225 acres sits at an altitude of 2,500 feet; getting there requires crawling up narrow, winding roads with perilous drop-offs. But the trek is worth it.

Purchased in 1994 by Sandra and Israel Gonzalez, Sandra Farms began selling coffee in 2001. From the processing and preparation of the beans, Sandra Farms is committed to traditional methods of growing and harvesting—all with ethical considerations and sustainability in mind: It uses zero fossil fuel and recycles biomass and compost.

To help travelers learn more about Puerto Rico’s coffee past and present, Sandra Farms offers guided tours twice a day from Tuesday to Sunday; visitors can see the evolution of coffee plants from seedling to tree, then to fruit and bean, as well as learn about how the farm has adapted to climate change.

Asked about the future, Carmelo Rodriguez, a Sandra Farms coffee roaster, processor, and guide, smiled widely. “We have no option but to look at the bright side,” he said.

TUCKED AWAY IN THE PUERTO RICO RICAN MOUNTAINS, A COFFEE FARM WELL WORTH THE HIKE — Carmelo Rodriguez, left, has worked at Sandra Farms since 2010, occupying a variety of roles. Today, he often leads tours that take travelers through the history of coffee in Puerto Rico, before offering tastings that showcase different coffee production methods.

A wooden hut (left); an orange hibiscus bloom

TUCKED AWAY IN THE PUERTO RICO RICAN MOUNTAINS, A COFFEE FARM WELL WORTH THE HIKE

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TUCKED AWAY IN THE PUERTO RICO RICAN MOUNTAINS, A COFFEE FARM WELL WORTH THE HIKE