José Arnold Paz Mejia

Great moments spent with amazing people who care about coffee, but more importantly the land and each other!
This is the highest point on the farm where a rustic A-frame shack sits, and is the best panoramic view of the farm. At night you can hear the monkeys calling in the jungle!
The sampling board allows for statistical evaluation of the quality of a coffee pickers work for the day! 50 slots gives a representational idea of what the quality is in each bag before processing.
Next generation of coffee plants ready to leave the nursery & find a home on the farm.
The Paz farm is a wonderful example of organization and efficiency! In the foreground we see a small section of the nursery, growing both coffee and shade plants for the next generation of planting. Behind, we see the coffee drying patios and solar dryers that are used in conjunction for best quality. Lower section of the farm seen over the dryers.
Parchment coffee drying in the solar dryers on raised beds with great ventilation.
Coffee plants in the San Jose Nursery getting ready to be planted and be the delicious coffee of the future!
Dried coffee still in parchment skin (pergamino) ready to be hauled off from the raised drying bed (in this hand made basket) for storage until ready to be hulled for export.
Full view from the top of the farm of the well organized flow for processing and drying coffee at Finca San Jose! Under the red roof is where the wet mill, coffee cherry depulping/fermentation happens and then off to the drying patios to be followed by full, even drying on the raised bed, solar dryers. In the foreground you can see the cistern that holds and distributes the natural water source for the farm.
Arnold with his parents on the high point of the farm. Arnold's father is a doctor who studied in France and worked to buy back the land and farm his father sold so that he could attend medical school!

Arnold Paz is a producer from Santa Barbara, Honduras. He is co-owner of Finca San Jose Farm with his father Arnold Sr. As an Agricultural engineer, Cup Of Excellence international juror, Q grader, & Five star cupper; Arnold has a wealth of experience and knowledge that he not only applies to his carefully organized farm, but that he also uses to help others that are looking to improve the quality and production of their land. Arnold & his father have a deep knowledge in coffee, from tree to cup.

Arnold has a wealth of experience and knowledge that he not only applies to his carefully organized farm, but that he also uses to help others that are looking to improve the quality and production of their land.

It is this knowledge and his willingness to help that first brought us together. In 2007, while I was training a Farm and Cafe in Copan Ruinas area of Honduras, our mutual friend and manager of the farm, Guillermo, asked Arnold to provide any translation that was needed to the attendees. from here we formed a friendship that continues to grow every year and every harvest! I and many others in Honduras and beyond have learned so much from Arnold, that I really cannot thank him enough! We have forged ahead through good times and bad, as any real relationship does; even finding a way thru the Roya fungus devastation 3 years ago that destroyed 50% of the farm, which today is back producing delicious coffees with healthy plants!

I am thankful to count his family as mine own, and we look to continue to support them over the years, as we continue to promote quality and innovation.

Look for a new lot we worked on with him this harvest – La Perla, named for his mother ( though she admits it isn’t her favorite coffee on the farm, she is still happy for the naming!). This is a uniquely processed coffee that brings out truly wondrous flavors and stands as an interesting contrast to the flavors of the San Jose. We have this short video to share with you that showcases Arnold’s knowledge, and he explains how he processes his coffee at Finca San Jose.