El Martillo is one of a number of farms owned by José Antonio Salaverria and his sons, Andrés and José Antonio Jr., who are sixth-generation coffee producers. Translating from Spanish as ‘The Hammer’, El Martillo occupies 19.5 hectares on the slopes of the Santa Ana volcano at 1700 masl - an impressive altitude for El Salvador. The farm is part of a long-term project by the family to enhance coffee quality by refining processing methods. This Bourbon was selectively hand picked, and the ripest fruits were placed inside anaerobic fermentation tanks for 80 hours, and then dried on patios.
In recent years, leaf rust has presented a huge problem for El Salvador’s coffee farms. José Antonio set about combatting this issue by founding a factory to produce Huisil, an organic fertiliser and compost made from food and coffee waste, and manure. José Antonio Jr. has also focussed his efforts on agronomy, working on strategies to ensure plant strength and resilience. He uses Huisil alongside various mineral compounds, and applies copper to the coffee leaves to further protect against leaf rust. He has also developed tailored pruning methods according to altitude and cultivar to foster increased productivity.
Seasonal buying is about seeing coffee as a crop not a commodity, buying in harmony with the growing seasons to enjoy coffee at its best. This kind of buying has always been the backbone of our business and it’s something we’ve improved and refined every year.
