Don Mario - Coffee Farmer, Colombia

Don Mario has spent most of his life on these hills in Colombia, where coffee trees grow slowly and seasons set the rhythm of each day. Now in his late 60s, Don Mario does not measure time by years but by harvests. Each season brings familiar work—pruning, tending, waiting—and with it, the quiet knowledge gained from decades of experience. He learned coffee the traditional way: by observing his elders, working the land by hand, and listening closely to what the soil and trees needed. For Don Mario, coffee is not a business trend or a global product. It is responsibility passed down through generations. It is early mornings, careful choices, and patience built over a lifetime. His work supports his family and preserves a way of life rooted in respect for the land. When people around the world enjoy coffee, they rarely see the lives behind it. Don Mario represents that unseen beginning—the steady hands, the long days, and the commitment that makes each harvest possible. This is where coffee begins: with people like Don Mario.

FARMERS PROFILE