Meet Byron Corrales

Byron’s patience, care and dedication to coffee quality continues to inspire us here at Salt Spring Coffee. Consistently growing some of the best coffee in the world, Byron Corrales and his family have been producing coffee in Nicaragua since 1981, and they have been a longtime direct trade partner of ours.

The Corrales Family used to live in San Pedro del Norte, in the department of Chinandega, Nicaragua. Because of its proximity to the Honduran border, where many Contras were being trained and prepared by the US military, it was a very “hot” zone during the Contra War, and with the landmines that were planted there by the Contras, it soon became a dangerous place to live. In 1986, the Corrales moved to the mountains of Jinotega to establish their new coffee farm, purposely choosing to establish themselves in the midst of a luscious natural reserve El Arenal.

Certified organic, Byron’s farm has also used biodynamic agricultural methods for over 25 years, and we respect the sustainability and holism of those practices. Byron believes that everything on his farm has a purpose and role in the coffee production cycle—from the plants that are grown to feed the 14 cows on his farm, to the bees and other insects that help pollinate the coffee trees. Byron believes in living in harmony with his vibrant environment.

Byron is so deeply invested in the vitality of his soil that he grows nutrient-rich plants to feed his cattle. He uses the cow manure in combination with organic matter from his farm to naturally fertilize the soil. What’s more, his coffee is planted, pruned, fertilized and sometimes even picked in accordance with lunar cycles and the ebb and flow of the seasons. The result is a bountiful soil and a consistently high quality coffee.

A pioneer in his industry, Byron is continually driven to increasing the quality of coffee he produces. One method is the creation of specific varietals, or unique hybrids. Byron’s Maracaturra is a shining example of this — it’s a hybrid of the varietals Marigojipe and Caturra.

Byron is a visionary, one of our most trusted partners, and an incredibly warm and caring person. We look forward to a promising future partnership, and are excited for the arrival of our newest seasonal coffee, Byron’s Maracaturra (coming soon). We have featured it as a seasonal coffee in previous years, and we’re proud to bring its quality to our community again this summer.

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