Gilberth Lobo Navarro and Amalia Rodríguez Delgado

Near the center of the Finca La Bella sits the home of Gilberth and Amalia, who began farming in Finca La Bella in 1995. The once abandoned coffee plantation is now restored, with the majority of the coffee crop going to the Santa Elena Cooperative (the fair trade coffee cooperative that sells under the brand name Café Monteverde). In addition to coffee, Gilberth has also planted fruit trees, bananas, sugar cane, and a variety of vegetables. The trails on his farm, winding through the planted crops that feel more like a formal garden, lead you to a large boulder where you’ll be invited to sit upon the stone where he sat as a child, watch the operation of the small hand-cranked trapiche, and enjoy the sweet cane juice it presses out. Gilberth will also invite you to sit among the trees on the benches he constructed for good conversation, a lesson in coffee, and a feeling of community that is found in few places. As with all the families in Finca la Bella, Gilberth and Amalia are committed to sustainability and conservation. To experience this rich heritage, visit Gilberth and Amalia, as you won’t soon forget their welcoming and kind spirit.