Interview with Julia Ortega - "The hands behind the first Carbon Neutral farm in Mexico"
Here at Groundwork, it's imperative that we not only push organic coffee forward but that we support those at origin who think the same. Julia is an innovator in every sense of the word. Her farm, Finca Los Pinos, is the first certified carbon neutral farm in Mexico.
As part of this project we had the privilege of being able to do an Interview with Julia. Take a look at the full interview below.
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Can you give an introduction about yourself and your farm? How did you get into this industry?
Can you give an introduction about yourself and your farm? How did you get into this industry?
"I come from a family that grows coffee by tradition, they have taught me not only to produce coffee, but also to work responsibly, since coffee is a crop with great social and economic impact in the northern highlands of Puebla and, of course, in the world. Two decades ago I realized the importance of developing a sustainable crop, I began converting Finca Los Pinos into an organic crop, however, this was not enough to help the environment and I began to integrate agricultural measures to reduce carbon emissions. CO2 throughout its transformation process (seed-roasted). CO2 is one of the main Greenhouse Effect Gases, which is why it is important that all people and industries stabilize our emissions. I believe that producing in a Carbon Neutral scheme is a specific action to mitigate climate change, being coffee the second most consumed drink in the world. Finca Los Pinos coffee is the result of love and passion for nature, but above all great teamwork and family support."
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Are you a coffee drinker? What is your favorite drink?
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Are you a coffee drinker? What is your favorite drink?
"Yes, I have been a coffee lover since I was 2 years old. I drank coffee with milk from a bottle. My favorite drink is espresso, it is a drink with a strong, intense character that demonstrates all its' attributes in a cup."
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Why do you feel that being an organic coffee farm is important? How do you feel about being the first carbon neutral farm in Mexico?
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Why do you feel that being an organic coffee farm is important? How do you feel about being the first carbon neutral farm in Mexico?
"Growing organically gives us the certainty that we are consuming healthy food for our body and for our soil, on the other hand, I feel very happy and proud that Finca Los Pinos is the first Carbon Neutral farm in Mexico. This type of carbon-based agriculture is a food production model that preserves the ecosystem and is essential for sustainable development. In essence, carbon neutral coffee measures, reduces and neutralizes all its CO 2 emissions *obtaining a coffee that is not only healthy as it is organic but also sustainable and fortunately in our case of high quality."
*CO2 (CO2 is the main Greenhouse Gas that is warming our planet)
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What do you like to do in your free time?
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What do you like to do in your free time?
"I like to walk in the forest, being lucky enough to hear the birds singing and climbing the trees."