Colombia – La Estrella Del Ostro

Additional Information

Estrella del Ostro is a Colombian specialty coffee produced by small scale growers in the municipality of La Plata. The first formal settlements in the region came into existence in the late 16th century when the Spanish arrived at the region looking for gold but instead found silver, hence the name “La Plata” which means silver.

The coffee growers are small to medium scale with the farms ranging from 2 to 5 hectares, between elevation of 1,400 masl to 2,000 masl. They come from generations of coffee growers from La Plata with a few from other municipalities such as Inzá or Pedregal of Cauca which is close by. They tend to work as a family, and a now day seeing more women involved as well as younger generations. Back in the day they used to have traditional varieties such as Caturra and Typica but with the passage of time, some coffee growers have planted leaf rust resistant varieties and some gong towards exotics varieties such as Gesha and Pink Bourbon. In this area coffee is their main economic activity and main source of employment. Some of the farms have other smaller crops such as sugar cane, avocado and plantain. On the other hand, in this area, there is an influx of people from La Plata and nearby municipalities as well as people from the nearby department of Cauca who in some cases sell their coffee at La Plata. These coffee growers are resilient people, who always keep pushing forward to achieve better quality and with a joyful spirit. In this area, it is famous their traditional festivities of San Pedro which are a must for them to attend.