Rodrigo Mundim, the owner of Araras Lugar Anil farm, has been in the coffee business for over 25 years. He has been working in this property for more than 15 years, where their coffee is produced for exportation.
Rodrigo Mundim runs his own social project and every month he gives away approximately 15 to 20 basic-needs grocery packets to employees at an auto parts store he owns. Always committed to helping others, he distributes the food at the store and also drives to those families who need it delivered.
The desire to make a difference in the lives of those around him goes even further. Rodrigo himself shares a personal story of when he learned that someone was in great need of help. He did not think twice about lending a helping hand. Rodrigo hired them and back-paid the late social security contributions that the new employee could not pay for years. Moreover, he made sure to help them get retired and paid for all the attorney’s costs.
Rodrigo became a producer when he bought a piece of land approximately 25 years ago and thus began to plant a coffee crop. This tradition dates back to the time of Mr. Mundim’s grandparents, who were coffee growers. His father, Braulino Martins Mumdim Filho, 84 years old, was raised on the farm along with his seven brothers and grandparents. He says that his grandfather used to plant coffee and, at that time, the planting was only of the seed and not the seedlings.
The seeds were planted about 5-6 meters away from each other. They would dig the pits, add the manure, the seeds and so they started to germinate. The holes were cleaned with bare hands to remove cobwebs and weeds. Weeding was frequently necessary and snakes would often be found — a dangerous process of cultivation.
At a young age, Mr. Braulino Martins Mumdim Filho would already help in the plantation and its maintenance. The process happened in small areas because back then tractors were not available, so everything was manual and the fertilizer was actually manure.
This way, the crop continued to succeed. When the coffee started to become good for harvesting, it was hand-picked and placed in an ox cart that was taken to a piece of land where it left to be dried. Part of the produced coffee was for personal consumption and the other part was sold. It went on like that for many years until cattle started to be used in the fields and coffee production was replaced by livestock trading.
For many years, Mr. Braulino Martins Mumdim Filho told this story to his son. When the coffee business gained ground in the Monte Carmelo region, Rodrigo grew interested in it and decided to continue the work. He bought a piece of land, planted some coffee and built a pig farm. As organic fertilizers were commonly used at the time, he also set up a certified organic crop that was frequently inspected. However, the organic farming lasted 2 years.
The Araras Lugar Anil farm neighbors also planted coffee, but they used very strong chemicals that inevitably reached even organic coffees. The pests also got to the coffee, so returning to the conventional model was necessary.
The story continues when Rodrigo Mundim buys another piece of land and plants more coffee. Today he owns a significantly vast area and is very satisfied working in the coffee industry. His main goal is to use as little agrochemicals as possible in his planting so they use a lot of chicken and cattle manure as fertilizer.
Because he strongly believes in biological treatment, Rodrigo has chosen to follow this path. He has tried to reduce the use of stronger chemicals and has been able to produce high-quality coffee.
The micro lot sold by Bean Belt is a type of fermented coffee, which was picked first, earlier than the rest. A cherry-flavored, select coffee. The green beans and the dried ones are removed and a fermentation process with yeasts is carried out.
The whole process involves a lot of workforce. It is necessary to measure the coffee temperature four or five times a day, drain the water, add water again, put it in the shade, on a terrace area, and then do it all over again. This type of coffee must not have contact with the rest. It is necessary to mill and pack it separately.
The process takes a lot of work, but it is definitely worth it! The coffee is well ranked and provides great results. Today, Rodrigo Mundim produces small lots of 84-point specialty coffee and much of his coffee has been rated above 86. Now, he seeks to find roasters that value his work with such notable coffee, so that he can invest in it and acquire special machinery for the process.
