Colombia El Vergel

Rooted in Tolima & Caldas: Coffee, Care, and a Canopy for the Future

At Big Shoulders Coffee, we’re fortunate to work with coffee that tells a deeper story—one that starts in the soil, stretches through the canopy, and ends in your cup.

The regions of Tolima and Caldas in Colombia are more than names on a bag of beans. They’re living, breathing landscapes—places where the altitude is high, the soil is rich, and the people care deeply about their craft. Tolima, tucked into central-west Colombia, is home to some of the most fertile soils you can find. These farmers have made a bold shift in recent years—from high-yield, conventional crops to carefully cultivated microlots that demand more attention, more patience, and more heart.

And in Caldas, where warmth and humidity dance together year-round, farmers tend their trees in a rhythm shaped by proximity to the equator. The climate is steady, the land generous. But even in this growing paradise, things are changing.

That’s why we want to share our appreciation for the Reforest Project, launched by our partners at Forest at El Vergel. In both Tolima and Caldas, climate instability and economic uncertainty are no longer distant threats—they’re at the doorstep. With 30% of Tolima’s coffee-growing lands already at risk, the urgency is real.

The Reforest Project is stepping up in a big way. Together, they’ve set a goal to plant 17,000 guamo trees—roughly 100 per hectare—by 2025. These trees aren’t just shade; they’re part of a vision:

• Restoring native ecosystems
• Protecting steep terrain from erosion
• Lowering soil and air temperatures for fragile coffee plants
• Creating habitat for birds and beneficial insects
• Naturally enriching the soil and reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers

Why the guamo tree? It’s fast-growing, native, and mighty. It fixes nitrogen—up to 150 kg per hectare each year—and provides the kind of canopy that cools and calms the land. It’s good for coffee, and even better for the long game of growing responsibly.

Every cup you enjoy from Tolima and Caldas is a small piece of that story—of resilience, regeneration, and shared stewardship. We’re honored to roast this coffee, and even more honored to walk alongside these farmers who are planting not just trees, but hope.

Thank you for choosing coffee with roots.

Thank you for helping us support something bigger than the brew.

With gratitude,

Tim & the Big Shoulders Coffee team