Arturo Jeiner Díaz Arteaga

FARM:  Arturo Jeiner Díaz Arteaga

LOCATION: La Guaba, Cajamarca, Peru

ALTITUDE: 2125 MASL

VARIETY: Typica

PROCESSES: Washed

Tasting Notes: Apple Cider, Cranberry Juice, Baking Spices

Born in Querocotillo, 31-year-old Arturo Jeiner Díaz Arteaga is a dedicated coffee farmer who discovered a deep passion for cultivation. On his agroforestry plot at 2,125 meters above sea level, he grows Typica coffee alongside native forest species and ice-cream bean trees, which provide natural shade for his crops.

With discipline and enthusiasm, Arturo works every season to improve the quality of his coffee. His primary motivation is to support his family and build a stable future through farming. He works to continuously refine his practices and position his coffee among the finest in the region. His farm, La Guaba, is named after the abundant ice-cream bean trees native to the area. These trees are vital to the farm, as they provide essential shade and enrich the soil with nutrients from their organic matter.

Historically, Querocoto was dedicated to cattle ranching rather than coffee, supported by the vast pastures and cold climate typical of its 2,300-meter average altitude. In the 1990s, local residents began migrating seasonally to Jaén and San Ignacio to work as harvesters. By the early 2000s, these workers returned to Chota with coffee seeds to test the high-altitude soil. The trial was a resounding success, as the plants adapted perfectly to the environment.

The producers here maintain a deep respect for the land, cultivating an ecosystem where native flora and coffee coexist. A notable example is the use of the native Quina tree for shade. As the tree featured on Peru’s National Coat of Arms, the Quina holds immense historical significance; its bark was used for traditional beverages and, later, as the primary source of quinine to treat malaria. While logging and invasive species once pushed the Quina toward extinction, the community of Chiribamba remains one of the few places where these trees thrive, providing vital shade and organic matter for coffee plants.

Logistics in the region are efficient, with farms located between 20 minutes and three hours from collection centers. Most producers utilize communal trucks via dirt roads, while those in more inaccessible areas rely on mules to transport parchment. Communication is equally vital; while 70% of the population has cell service, those without it receive pickup schedules via radio messages or neighbors.

Although coffee cultivation is a relatively new craft here, producers possess a sophisticated understanding of harvesting and processing. Labor is managed through Ayni—an ancestral Inca practice of mutual aid among families and neighbors—and the processing reflects this care. Fermentation occurs in plastic bags over 96 hours, followed by drying on patios and raised beds for 15–28 days.