Sítio Santo Antônio, Brazil | ESPRESSO

The rolling hills of Minas Gerais and delicate climates make it an ideal place to grow coffee in Brazil. The flat landscape makes harvesting coffee easier compared to countries with steep slopes, allowing some producers to use machine harvesters to pick cherries.

It is here where Sítio Santo Antônio is situated, in the city of Botelhos, owned and managed by João da Silveira Rocha and his daughter, Daniela Abreu. The 30-hectare farm has been in João’s family for over fifty years and has passed through a couple of generations of family over the years. Daniela has begun to take over some responsibility and is bringing in new ideas and innovation to highlight the excellent quality coffees grown on the farm.

Daniela’s grandfather was the one who started the farm back in the 1960s, planting coffee and beginning the cultivation and work that is still present today. Her parents took over in
2009, so she has been heavily involved in the world of coffee her whole life. In 2021, she took over a managerial role in the harvest and post - harvest areas of the farm to work on improving quality. Thanks to her work, Sítio Santo Antônio’s coffee began to gain recognition for its quality. Their coffees won awards at the Volcanic Region Contest and the Florada Premiada in 2022.

This is in part thanks to her degree in Agronomy and Masters in Soil Fertility. Daniela’s extensive knowledge allowed her to apply what she learned in school to the farm she grew up on. It is with this knowledge that helped Sítio Santo Antônio start producing specialty coffee. 

When the cherries reach peak ripeness during the harvest, they are selectively picked using
derriçadeiras, or mechanical strippers. The cherries are delivered to the mill to be cleaned and sorted. Next, the cherries are dispersed on cement patios to dry in the open sun. Here, the coffee is raked every hour, and remains for up to twenty days, or until the ideal moisture content is reached.