Brazil Fazenda Três Meninas

The story of Brazil Fazenda Três Meninas is a marriage between the deep coffee tradition of Brazil and progressive environmental and agronomic ideals. This 54 hectare farm in Cerrado Mineiro has been family owned and run since 2016 and has been practicing regenerative agriculture for 5 years. The Bagagem River and its springs flow through the farm, as do the native forests of the Cerrado biome. A deep gratitude and respect for this land and its resources drive the innovation and effort that distinguish this farm from most others.

Apart from producing coffee, Brazil Fazenda Três Meninas works closely with the Federal University of Uberlandia to achieve holistic environmental sustainability. In avoiding monocultures and the abuse of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, Fazenda Três Meninas has built balanced, resilient production that also contributes to the health of our planet. Their hope is to scale the impact, transforming the landscape of the region and ultimately improving the livelihood of rural producers. To this end, their model farm is used as a school to educate university students, teachers, and farmers through workshops.

As a model/teaching farm, they hope to demonstrate through successful example that environmentally sustainable practices can also save a farmer money. For example, reducing the need for pesticides and external inputs is an immediate cost savings that can increase the quality of the coffee. Additionally, crop diversification provides food security while simultaneously benefiting their agribusiness through soil enrichment and flower synchronization across crops. Reforestation efforts provide milder temperatures, cycle nutrients into the soil, shelter micro and macrofauna, provide a wind barrier for crops, and reduce the need for irrigation. In short, transitioning to a regenerative agricultural model is an investment that will improve the livelihood of the 4500 producers in the Cerrado Mineiro region in both the short and long term.

Looking forward, Fazenda Três Meninas aims to develop production methods to further increase cup quality. To this end, they have invested in raised African beds and other postproduction infrastructure. Additionally, they are engaged in fermentation studies to differentiate microlots, meeting market demand for quality and unique flavor profiles.

Cupping notes: Sweet, nutty, balanced; delicate acidity, lactic body.
