El Salvador is almost exactly the size of Massachusetts. It used to be the fourth largest coffee producer in the world in the 1950's and was renowned for the qulaity of its coffees. The 1980's brought breakup and devastation as civil war raged. Coffee growers have been trying to recuperate ever since. Exceedingly low world coffee prices and natural disasters (hurricanes, a freak wind storm, a volcanic eruption and a devastating 8 earthquake) have made it especially difficult. El Salvador, in my opinion, produces some of the great coffees of the world and sets a very high quality standard for how coffee should be harvested and processed. Specialty roasters around the world have taken note of El Salvador's exceptional coffees.

Our visit was much too short but it is the first of many more to come. We visited three coffee regions.

Laurie and I spent the entire week in the San Salvador home of Vickie Ann Dalton, third generation owner of Matalapa Farm, a winner of Cup of Excellence (we have the immense pleasure of offering our customers her very sweet, very easy to drink coffee). Vickie's home in the city is covered with gorgeous photos taken by her husband, Francisco Diaz, of butterflies, moths and other insects. I have inserted several photos of the amateur but very talented and inspired Francisco here.
She and Francisco drove us to her farm and mill. Here are some shots of what we saw.....