In the Mountains with Tomas Bueno: Coffee, Honey, and Orchids

Yesterday was a day well spent with some great people: Joel from Yellow Rooster Coffee, and Eric from Alpes Andinos Coffee Association. We set out early from Jaén, heading towards La Naranja in La Coipa. The drive was about three hours, starting on paved roads, but as we got deeper into the mountains, it turned into a single-lane dirt road. The elevation kept climbing, and by the time we reached La Naranja, we were well up in the clouds.

La Naranja is home to several coffee producers, all with farms nestled close together. One of the first people we met was Elmer, the president of Alpes Andinos. He introduced us to Fidel Huancas, a producer whose coffee we had the chance to taste—excellent stuff. Then, there was Fidel’s younger cousin, Edgar Huancas, who’s also a coffee producer but hasn’t started working with Alpes Andinos yet. And then, there was Tomas Bueno. Meeting him in person was something I’d been looking forward to.

Tomas is a producer we’ve worked with before. He grows Yellow Bourbon, which we’ve featured in the past, and this year, he’s also cultivating Caturra. But what really caught us by surprise was a new addition to his farm—a Yellow Geisha. Tomas is someone who’s always looking ahead. He’s not just sticking to what he knows; he’s experimenting with different varieties, preparing for the challenges that lie ahead, like the threat of Roya. It’s clear that Tomas is in it for the long haul.

Our first stop was Tomas’ farm. It was a short 15-minute walk from where we had met up, but the climb was steep. The dry season has been relentless—no rain for two months when it should have already started. The ground was dusty and loose, making the trek up to his coffee plots tough. But despite the conditions, Tomas’ rows of Yellow Caturra and Yellow Bourbon stood neatly in place.

Tomas’ farm is spread out over several plots of land, each at different elevations. We didn’t get to see the Yellow Geisha—it’s on a plot that’s harder to reach—but just being there, surrounded by the plants he’s nurturing, was enough to understand the care and dedication he pours into his work. This year’s harvest is nearly done, but Tomas is already thinking about the next. He’s got seedlings ready in case anything fails, including Tipica and Pache. And that Yellow Geisha we cupped? Outstanding. We all agreed it scored around an 87.

After we explored his coffee plots, Tomas showed us his drying area. Most of the coffee had already been sent out, so the beds were mostly empty except for a few kilos of pasilla. For context, pasilla refers to coffee beans that don’t meet the high standards for specialty coffee due to defects or imperfections—something we learned about during our last visit to Colombia. These beans often end up being sold locally or used in different ways, with nothing going to waste. But what stood out was a newly built warehouse. Tomas is preparing for whatever the weather throws at him. He’s setting up this space to control the drying and fermentation process better, keeping things cool when temperatures rise. It’s a smart move, ensuring that his coffee quality stays top-notch despite the unpredictable weather.

One of the more unique aspects of Tomas’ farm is his beekeeping. He has a species of stingless bees called Ergon, which produce a honey unlike anything I’ve tasted. It’s lighter, not as viscous, and the flavor is something else—citrusy at first, then buttery, almost like a maple syrup with butter. Tomas takes as much pride in his bees as he does in his coffee, and he generously shared the honey with us.

We wrapped up the visit by checking out Tomas’ orchids, another passion of his. He has a small greenhouse dedicated to them, and they’re beautiful, fragrant, and clearly well cared for. Tomas has grown over 40 species of orchids, with Phalaenopsis being the only one he hasn’t been able to successfully cultivate yet. It’s his hobby, and you can tell he puts a lot of love into it. As Tomas continues to focus on his special passion projects—the orchids and bees—his wife is stepping in to manage more of the coffee production. It’s a team effort, and seeing how they’ve integrated all these different elements—coffee, honey, and flowers—into their farm was something special. It all works together in a unique harmony.

Tomas Bueno is someone who’s constantly thinking, experimenting, and adapting. His farm is a reflection of that, and the coffee he produces tells the story of a man who’s deeply connected to his land and committed to making the best of what it offers.