For more than 20 years, Don Teo, as he is known by the coffee community, started growing coffee. His farm Las Marias takes its name after the many Marías in the family, especially his daughter. The farm is in a remote yet thriving village in Jalapa, Nueva Segovia. When he started growing coffee in this area there were no roads, so he knew it would be a challenge. As a young and not so experienced farmer, he did not have transportation or resources, so he walked more than 2 hours to get from his house to the farm everyday. He recalls having to transport the stones, tools and other necessary equipment by donkey or horses to open the main access road. Before working in coffee, he dedicated himself to the commercialisation of wood and rice, however, in coffee, he found his true passion.