by Sunghee Tark

— “I’d like to have you visit our farm.”

I received my first message from Joselyn in 2020. At least at this point of the time, I had no idea that our friendship would grow to where it is today, to be exchanging messages almost on a daily basis.

I got to know Joselyn from a barista friend who highly praised a young coffee producer based in Brunca doing exciting things in coffee. He insisted that I try out coffees from these mother-daughter duo that is producing some excellent coffees. Due to the distance from where I lived in San Jose, and at least at the point since there was no cafe in San Jose that was selling Joselyn and her family’s coffee, I instead, asked the barista friend if he could pass on my number to her. Hence, the text message a few days later.

On my first message from Joselyn, she also told me that her mother Lisbeth and she have joined Bean Voyage’s training program, but wanted to also be part of our market access program to export their coffee to our partners. She then invited me to come visit her farm.

Joselyn’s farm is located about 5 hours away from San Jose - the capital of Costa Rica. Most of the roads leading to her farm are paved, but they often are narrow and can be pure dirt road. I’ve used Google Maps many times to get to the Brunca region, and many times, I was unpleasantly surprised by the states of the roads, and have stayed away from traveling especially in the rainy season.

It was in fact, in the rainy season when I received her first text. Since only a few years ago, we had a serious accident visiting the region during the rainy season, I had promised myself and the team that we wouldn’t expose ourselves to such risks once again. Nonetheless, I felt as though I had to go visit her this time.

Written by Sunghee Tark
Co-founder of bean voyage

+ bean voyage collaborates with smallholder women coffee producers to build thriving futures with them. And Sunghee of bean voyage brings us along with her as she visits Joselyn in Costa Rica.

Photo Credit to La Chelita Farm