Origin - country: brazil; farm: rancho são benedito; altitude: 4,432 feet; varietals: yellow bourbon; production method: pulped natural; profile - we are please to feature another coffee from our friends at rancho são benedito, a coffee farm located outside the town of dom vicoso, just south from carmo de minas., On the slopes of the mantiqueira mountains. Owner mariana de carvalho junqueira inherited the farm from her parents in 1954 and planted coffee there in 1978. Her son marcio now helps manage the farm and mill. While visiting são benedito last summer, we were impressed with the number of awards posted in the living room and foyer of the family home, including several from brazil's cup of excellence competitions. The family belongs to cooperativa regional dos cafeicultores do vale do rio verde, also known as cocarive, a cooperative founded by a group of farmers in carmo de minas and the surrounding area who were hoping to bring more attention to the quality of coffee grown in the region. São benedito is utz certified, which is a comprehensive third party certification system that focuses on sustainable coffee production through responsible farm management, conscientious environmental stewardship practices and by supporting social programs. Mariana and marcio are focused on increasing coffee quality and production and have recently invested in new machinery to accomplish their goals.