Brazil Cerrado Ana Maria Menezes

Ana Maria Menezes manages her family farm, Lenheiros, in Carmo do Paranaíba, Cerrado Mineiro Region. The farm dates back 100 years, though it wasn't originally planted in coffee. It wasn't until 1984 that her husband, Valdir, made the decision to shift the focus to coffee production planting the first 10 hectares. Sadly, her husband passed away a few years later, leaving Ana with the decision of how to move forward. Ana quickly settled into farm management, navigating the harvest season, and reinvesting in upkeep and a slow expansion of new plants in between. The farm has grown to 75 hectares, planted in a mix of Catuaí (red and yellow), Mundo Novo, and Acauã. Ana still has a hand in daily operations, but the care of the farm is shared by her two children who are agronomists, as well as her husband, who also has a background in coffee.