La Leona farm sits at 1,450 m.La Leona farm sits at 1,450 m.a.s.l. in Armenia, in Colombia’s Quindío region. Luz Helena Salazar has been producing coffee here for over twenty years. She started inspired by her husband’s work, learning the craft from the ground up with his support. Her focus from the beginning: the quality of ripe cherries.
Today, La Leona is 8 hectares dedicated entirely to specialty. Luz pays close attention to every stage — from the health of the trees to the precision of the harvest. Ripe cherries are transported to the La Pradera processing center, where they are sorted, subjected to 30-hour underwater fermentation, and dried on raised beds to a moisture content of 9.5–11%.
The farm grows Caturra — a dwarf mutation of Bourbon discovered in Brazil sometime between 1915 and 1918. Its compact stature and dense branching make it easier to maintain and harvest, which is why it’s remained one of Colombian farmers’ favorite varieties for decades, Luz included.
