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Riding Motos Through Finca Hartmann

Anunu_Tiborcito_Moto_Blog.jpgTiborcito is a third generation Ratibor Hartmann. He is 4 years old and has won at least 3 trophies in Moto riding. On my first day on Finca Hartmann, Tiborcito led his mother, sister, uncle, and two visitors on an hour long tour through the nearly 30 acres coffee fields and 150 acres of lush virgin rainforest. Watch the video and read on for more of the story!


It was bumpy ride up to the top of the mountain, but well worth the effort. I shot video from the back of Allan Hartmann's moto. Throughout the ride, Allan, who manages all of the coffee processing on the farm, explained the different plots we were passing, which demonstrated not only how well put together this farm is, but also how proud he was of the land his grandfather settled in, this father cultivated, and he and his siblings nurture like an extension of themselves. Tessie Hartmann, Tiborcito's mom (shown at the end of the video), explained to me that nature is in their hearts, while coffee is in their blood.    

About 1 minute into the video you see us cresting a hill and descending into a beautiful landscape of coffee and old growth forest. This is an area of the farm they call Ojo de Agua, or Eye of Water, which is an expression meaning the source of water. Most of the water on the Hartmann farm is diverted from a natural spring in Ojo de Agua. It has been explained that the source is plentiful due to the fact that the surrounding forest is left wild, which retains and channels both rain and moisture. Ojo de Agua is at an elevation higher than the rest of the finca. This higher elevation lends to a coffee's hardness and increased acidity due to cooler temperatures and slower plant respiration. Needless to say, these coffees are brilliant (and the view isn't so bad either.)

Anunu_Allan_blog.jpgAfter Allan shows me the small field of geisha in Ojo de Agua, there are no more coffee plots to see. I think the tour is over, but instead climb further into the rainforest. The time is just after noon, which means the rain is about to start. From late April to November the weather is like clockwork. The mornings are crystal clear, with temperate sun and visibility that seems to have no vanishing point. Early afternoons become overcast, and intermittent rain begins around 1pm. Tessie explains that the end of their property neighbors La Amistad International Park, and at that point we are standing 1,800 meters (5900 feet) above sea level.

Stay tuned for more photos and video from Finca Hartmann.

Comments

Scott May 29, 2009 – 11:29 AM

I want to be reborn as a Hartmann !

nice post anunu

Megan Jun 3, 2009 – 8:06 AM

Thanks for the post. So wonderful to see the Hartmanns doing well. Inspiring us to save for a return trip.

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