Teresa, a 52-year-old producer from the Sierra Mazateca in northwest Oaxaca, is part of the loosely-knit collective known as La Union in nearby San Mateo Yoloxchitlán. The Sierra Mazateca lies within the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca mountain range, deep in the northern expanse of Oaxaca state.
Her modest one-hectare farm yields not only coffee but also avocados, corn, beans, and peas. This season saw Green buyers, Osito, first venture into separating a microlot from Teresa— a development fraught with anticipation.
In contrast to many Central American countries, Mexico shelters numerous tiny coffee producers, some barely managing 5-10 kilograms per year. Limited output does not equate to inferior quality; often, it reveals quite the opposite. What sets Oaxaca apart in Mexico's coffee milieu is its robust local market that eagerly embraces Oaxacan beans. Consequently, Osito and local collaborators invest substantial effort in sourcing these minute lots, meticulously aligning screen size, moisture content, and water activity. Despite the arduous pursuit, the rewards are consistently fulfilling—these coffees are enthralling, unveiling an aspect of Mexican coffee rarely explored and insufficiently valued.
