We visited Farm Bethania to talk to Martha Albir, third generation coffee grower who, together with her sister Ana María, transformed the family farm into a specialty coffee farm a decade ago. Between the mountains bordering Honduras, Bethania combines history, modern processes and a clear vision: sweet, clean and consistent coffees that speak of their territory.

Family history and relay

A decade ago, Martha and her sister Ana María took the reins of the project that their grandfather had started and their father had consolidated. Until then, the Farm produced coffee that was sold locally, without imagining that the specialty world could open so many doors. “It was a leap into the void, but full of illusion,” he recalls. “Thanks to Mare Terras we learned to see coffee in a different way: to take care of the Processes, to measure, to taste, to understand what quality really means.”

Between mountains, tradition and new varieties

Farm Bethania is located in Suyatal, Dipilto, very close to the border with Honduras. It is an area renowned for producing some of the best coffees in Nicaragua. In this privileged environment, Martha cultivates varieties that represent both tradition and innovation: Maracaturra, the undisputed queen of the region; and other more recent varieties such as Java, Geisha and Sidra.

“Maracaturra is very much ours,” he explains. “Pickers love it because it yields well, and I’m fascinated by its sweetness. But the Java has a Jasmine scent that I love.”

Processes combining science and sensitivity

At Bethania, traditional processes coexist with more experimental ones. The Washing station is located on the Farm, while the dry mill is in Ocotal. There, Martha and her team work with Washed, Honeys and Natural, and have incorporated anaerobic and long-term fermentations.

He laughingly recalls the first attempts: “I was afraid that the fermentation bags would explode, but everything went well. Today we control the processes with precision and have achieved much more complex coffees”.

Of all of them, her favorite is the Natural Sleeping Bag, a natural capped process that, according to her, “maintains the cleanliness and sweetness that characterizes us”. In the cup, she always seeks balance: high sweetness, chocolate notes and a clean, silky texture.

Community and biodiversity

Before we say goodbye, Martha launches a sincere invitation to roasters and baristas: “Come to origin. Here you will understand where every note, every sweetness is born. My land has an incredible coffee and even better people”. As the afternoon falls over the coffee plantations, one feels that Betania is not just a farm: it is a story of roots, perseverance and hope, written in every cup.Beyond production, Martha is concerned about creating a sustainable environment for her team and the ecosystem that surrounds them. In recent years she has planted fruit trees to attract birds and provide food for the workers. “Before, you didn’t see orioles around here,” she says. “Since there are more fruit trees, they’ve come back. It’s a sign that we’re doing things right. “Before we say goodbye, Marta issues a sincere invitation to roasters and baristas: “Come to origin. Here you will understand where each note is born, each sweetness. My land has an incredible coffee and even better people”. As the afternoon falls over the coffee plantations, one feels that Betania is not just a Farm: it is a history of roots, perseverance and hope, written in each cup.

Looking to the future

When asked how he envisions Bethania’s future, his answer combines illusion and realism. “I dream of continuing to grow, of improving the infrastructure, building new dormitories, a bigger kitchen and continuing to export more high quality coffees.”

His goal for 2030 is clear: to reach 1,000 quintals exported, maintain 70% of the lots between 88 and 89 points and achieve at least two lots of 90+. “And hopefully by then it will be my son or my niece who will take over. They are already starting to be very interested in coffee”.