Farm info

Ronaldo Ferreira was born and raised in the state of Paraná where he worked as a subsistence farmer. In 1996, he came to the Cerrado with his family in search of better conditions for cultivation. In the year 2000, in partnership with his father, they bought a small piece of land and started the coffee plantation.

In 2010, he sold his share to his father and bought the 45-hectare Macaúbas de Baixo farm with coffees already in production. Over the years, his coffee park has grown, and he has leased another 30 hectares of coffee and recently bought 20 hectares where he planted the Arara variety. He has been working to produce quality coffees and with the support of his wife and children has achieved exceptional coffees.

The farm is named for the Macaúbas de Baixo community in Patriocino where it is located. Today Ronaldo’s property is 98 hectares with 95 producing coffee. He grows Red Catuai, Mundo Novo, and Oeiras in addition to Arara varieties of coffee. Learn more about Brazil’s many coffee varieties.

Region

Cerrado Mineiro

The Cerrado Mineiro region, located in northwest of Minas Gerais State is a world-recognized, high-quality coffee producing origin and became the first Protected Geographical Indication in Brazil in 2005, with full Designation of Origin in 2013. A strong characteristic of this region is its well-defined seasons—a hot, wet summer followed by a pleasantly dry winter. The dry climate during harvest eliminates potential problems with humidity during the drying process.

Minas Gerais is Brazil’s principal agricultural state, and the Cerrado is home to many of the country’s celebrated coffee estates, with expertise in planting, harvesting, drying, and sorting. We love Cerrado coffees for their big body, rich chocolate notes, and velvety texture when pulled as espresso.

Today, the area’s 4,500 farmers produce a combined average of 6 million bags per harvest, with an average of 35 bags per hectare. To reach these production levels, producers had to first adapt to the region’s conditions. Coffee farmers first arrived in Cerrado in the 1970’s, after being pushed out of the state of Parana by frost and out of the state of São Paulo by nematodes. They found the soil in Cerrado to be very acidic, which they rectified with the application of calcium to create the healthy soils they enjoy today.

Cerrado coffee farms are cultivated in areas with elevations varying between 800 and 1,300 meters above sea level and are known for consistently producing high quality coffees with a repeatable profile. Independent of farm size, the spirit of professionalism is present throughout Cerrado’s coffee producers. Entrepreneurialism is part of farmers’ DNA, and many producers are second or third generation growers who also hold degrees in agronomic engineering, business management, and administration. While each family narrative is different, Cerrado is characterized by an enterprising attitude.