Stephanie Andersen is a very brave lady indeed – going from the relatively normal life of working for a private jet corporation and travelling all over the world to taking over a rundown coffee plantation (finca) in El Salvador, previously owned by her great grandfather – and making it a success! She has faced enormous challenges along the way including becoming the landowner in a male dominated society, learning Spanish, reclaiming the plantation house from hundreds of bats, and tripling the coffee production. Stephanie’s story is a fascinating one and just shows how life can change completely in a short space of time.
Bestcuppaintown talked to Stephanie to find out how she started her life changing experience.
Can you tell us a little about your life prior to relocating to El Salvador?
I was once a married woman living in Chicago, raising my son in a Victorian-style house with a white picket fence. It seems like another lifetime ago. It was a good life, and one I am truly grateful for. I suppose my life illustrates that one should always believe in possibilities. It was a great risk doing what I did, reinventing my life. Yet, carefully planned risks can sometimes yield amazing results. I have learned more about myself in these few short years than at any other time in my life. It is worth all the inconveniences and lack of amenities that I once thought were so important.
How long had the plantation been in your family?
The plantation belonged to my great grandfather, Juan Samayoa. After his death in 1942, his wife Angela lived on the plantation until her death in 1976. One of my uncles briefly took a turn running it until the civil war broke out here in El Salvador. During the war, this part of the country was occupied by the guerrillas. They often camped out on the finca (plantation). The finca was abandoned until I arrived in 2004, after my mother pleaded with me to take it over. I was at the time working for a private jet corporation travelling around the world. My mother did not give me too many options as she immediately transferred the power of attorney to my name. By the time I arrived home to San Francisco after working a trip to the Bahamas, I was in full control of the finca.
The finca house
What was your reaction to being given control of the family plantation?
I flew down here to have a look around, and fell in love with the country and its people. My father was from Denmark where I spent much of my childhood, so I was not familiar with my Latin heritage and spoke no Spanish. I took a 6-month leave of absence from my employer and moved to the small village next to the finca. The plantation house had no electricity at the time, and was home to hundreds of bats. It took two years before I had the electricity rewired and moved into the house. Finally after many years of flying back and forth for short visits, I made the decision to move here permanently in November 2008. I sold my car, put my belongings in storage and bought a one-way ticket.
What were the immediate difficulties?
When I first arrived, the coffee was smothered with vines and had not been worked in many years. Today, we have tripled the production and I have finally convinced everyone on the benefits of going ‘organic’. A tough sell down here, but it is catching on. Historically, the coffee was sold to the local co-op which I continued to do when I first arrived while I was learning the ropes. Yet, it is clear, it is not a money making proposition. The company is happy to advance us the working capital to clean, fertilize, and harvest, but at a huge cost in interest and fees. This year, they only paid us $0.72 a pound. When you consider the current market price hovers around $1.46, that’s a huge difference. I vowed that this year, we are going to export the coffee. I just returned from a trip to San Francisco where I met with coffee brokers and roasters. They will be receiving samples in December and I hope we will have more than one buyer to pick from! The coffee is fine enough to be considered part of the, ‘specialty coffee’ market. I am at the moment trying to raise the $5,000 needed to work the coffee this year so we are not obligated to the co-op, and the coffee will be free to sell and export. If you know anyone, send them our way!
A day of coffee picking
How are you developing your coffee export business?
The finca coffee is Bourbon, grown at an elevation of 900-1200 meters. We are using all organic products this year and going after certification. The coffee is carefully tended and hand-picked by people from town during the months of December and January. The flowering has just finished and we are looking at another good crop this year. Yield should be around 20,000 lbs from approximately 50,000 trees. Next year, I will be adding another 10,000 trees to replace the mature ones. When selling to the co-op, we normally deliver the fresh picked cherries every day after weighing the sacks. This year, with export in mind, we will be taking the cherries to a beneficio nearby to have the beans washed and sun-dried in the traditional method. The coffee will be stored in burlap sacks manufactured at a local factory until ready for shipment. It will be an exciting time this year with a brand new learning curve.
I am also in the process of developing a line of coffee from the finca and surrounding plantations that will be available to purchase online with $1 of every sale going towards the local school. Their needs are great and it is another way to give back. I was mortified when I recently heard that someone had broken into the school last month, and stolen all the food for the children’s lunches. Who would do such a thing?
I am always open to new ideas and markets. I would love to sell in the coffee in the EU having spent so much of my childhood in Denmark.
Weighing the beans
Have you branched out into other products?
In addition to the coffee, there is the cacao. During my first few months, I planted 4,000 trees of Criollo cacao (chocolate) which are now ready to bear fruit – Criollo is one of the rarest species and therefore, more valuable. I have worked closely with a few chocolate firms in the US who want to purchase everything I can produce when the time comes. Once production begins, I will ferment and sun-dry only. Perhaps one day, I can dream of making chocolate confections. For now, I just want to do one part of the process, and do it well.
I was recently invited to join the Board of Directors for the country’s first official Cacao association. My role is to assist in the marketing once production grows to export levels. There are currently 25 growers planting cacao in the country. Cacao is indigenous to El Salvador going back to the Mayan period. It is exciting to be a part of bringing something back that has been lost for hundreds of years.
Raking the beans for drying
You lead a very rich life, probably more than people living in a boring sanitised city could believe?
Yes, it is a rich life with surprises every moment. The learning curve was tremendous in the beginning, but the rewards are priceless. The most significant change has been my outlook about life. Living in such a rural area where people have so little, and yet seem happy, has reminded me of the importance of human relations. In a society of instant gratification and the constant pressure to consume, one can lose sight of what is important. Resurrecting the plantation, creating jobs and becoming involved with the village has reminded me about the beauty of giving back. It requires very little other than a willingness to treat people with respect, fairness, and whatever small opportunities I can provide. I employ seven full-time people and rent land to 32 families. If you count all their children, spouses, and parents, it represents about nearly 175 people that have come to depend on these 200 acres.
I have often heard people say they never thought they would see the day the finca would come back to life. I would like to think in some ways, it symbolizes a sign of hope. I sometimes lay awake at night and wonder if my great grandfather is looking down at me smiling. It is daunting at times to have so many people depending on me, but I would not trade this experience for anything.
A pinata party for the children
What have been your biggest challenges?
Probably my biggest challenge has been the language barrier. I hit the ground running when I arrived and have never had the benefit of time to study, but I make do. The men who work here somehow understand my poor attempts at Spanish. I often resort to charades or drawing pictures, but in the end, it works. It has also been a challenge as a single American woman coming to a male dominated society. It has taken me several years to earn the respect of fellow acquaintances, the employees, and local people from town. At this point, I think they finally believe that I am committed to succeeding with everyone’s best interest at heart. It is a special gift when you truly know you have found a purpose that is about giving back.
Fruit at the finca
What about future projects?
The finca is a virtual paradise when it comes to the many fruits growing on the property. As of now, I have not put much effort into harnessing them formally as another cash crop, other than corn and beans. I am planning to plant 500 papaya trees this month with certified seeds. Papayas are profitable and yield fruit within 6 months. The finca has coconuts, mangoes, limes, lemons, pineapples, guavas, ginger, avocado, oranges, grapefruit, and of course, bananas. There are several other local fruits, whose names escape me, but are truly delicious. The finca is also home to hundreds of butterflies and exotic birds. I am looking into cultivating butterflies here on the finca for export and as a feature of interest.
My dream one day is to build a few cabins and make the finca available to visitors who would like to experience life on a plantation, pick coffee, learn about chocolate, and enjoy the simple life. For now, we just work hard and try to keep up with Mother Nature’s demands.
When we first read Stephanie’s answers, her story reminded us of Louis De Berniéres’ books (specifically his Latin American Trilogy). We told her to read them, which she is and she noted the resemblance … and we’re really excited to report that Stephanie is planning on writing a book herself – and we’re convinced it will be a best seller! We wish her luck with it.
Stephanie Andersen
Stephanie keeps an online ‘plantation diary’: this fascinating read can be viewed at http://theplantationdiaries.typepad.com/the_plantation_diaries/. She is in the process of developing a website, with more content, better photos, and a place to buy coffee. The link will be: www.theplantationdiaries.com, and its launch is imminent.
