The Sochiapam municipality is one of the largest coffee growing areas in all of Oaxaca. To get there, we have to travel almost 6 hours from Oaxaca on a paved road. The road ends in the center of the community, from which it takes another hour on foot to get to the farms. This entire road is uphill since the farms in Sochiapam are mostly located at the highest elevations. Sochiapam is heavily wooded and has a lot of wildlife. It shelters a protected natural reserve in which all kinds of commercial activity such as logging, agriculture, hunting, fishing, and beyond are prohibited. Sochiapam’s producers are vigilant in ensuring that this preserve is kept intact.
A distinct characteristic that differentiates them from other communities is that Sochiapam is home to producers of all ages. The reason that outward migration in this area is not as heavy as in many surrounding areas is that Sochiapam has solid infrastructure, hospitals, schools, stores, and other things needed for modern life. This makes it possible for young people to find almost everything they need in Sochiapam; they don’t have to migrate to other cities or countries in search of opportunities or basic services. For many years Sochiapam was known for producing large volumes of coffee rather than quality. Many producers didn’t know best practices for facilitating the quality for which Sochiapam has so much potential. It has quickly become our favorite region of Oaxaca for complex, unique coffees and seems to improve every harvest.
