What does ABARIM mean?
ABARIM is the mountain chain from which Moses saw the Promised Land of Jerusalem looking West across the Dead Sea. Our farm sits 5,500 feet above sea level and over a canyon that looks into a beautiful valley to the West. The magical view, sunsets and sunrises over these Andean mountains and valley brought the inspiration to Eivy to name the farm “ABARIM.”
Our Story
The 10 ha (25 acre) farm was purchased in March 2018. Co-owner Jimmy Tobey visiting the municipality viewed locations for sale for a possible future life in the coffee growing mountains of Colombia. Eivy and her family have small mountain coffee farming history going back generations. The farm we purchased was extremely overgrown with weeds to the shoulders but the neighboring farm owner and friend is also a coffee farm administrator and the purchase was made at a favorable price knowing the time and cost that would be required to bring the land and infrastructure back to good operational condition for coffee, plantain and fruit production.
Meet the Team
The ABARIM team is composed of Eivy and Jimmy (live on farm owners), managing administrator (Diofanor Ruiz; and previously Julio Cortez until December 2019), Leiner Yate (farm work manager) and his wife (farm cook, housekeeper and garden manager), and a team of varying numbers and diversity of farm workers.
Eivy: Pure Colombian of indigenous genetic origin with a love of coffee and the mountains. Master’s Degree in Environmental Science and Management from the University of Rhode Island and extensive professional work expertise in GIS related to resource management. Currently works for the State of Massachusetts in the Department of Natural Resources focused on the conversion of cranberry bog farms to functional natural wetlands. Eivy manages all external relations, strategic planning, marketing and communications concerning the farm and co-directs all on-farm decision making.
Jimmy: Married since 2005 to Eivy and in previous professional jobs travelled to over 30 countries managing projects of environmental management and equitable social development. Ph.D. in Economics and early retired in 2018 to enjoy a new life and agricultural challenges in the Andes of Colombia.
Diofanor: Farm administration switched from Julio to Diofanor earlier this year when Julio was asked to Direct the Quindio Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. We are greatly fortunate that Diofanor could take on this role with us. He brings a lifetime of experience in coffee farming, including extension work. He brings to the farm experience in processing coffee with alternative fermentation techniques to create more nationally and globally valued and unique ‘honey’ coffee and ‘natural’ coffee. These are ‘differentiated’ coffee processing techniques that the coffee Federation of Colombian has not provided technical assistance to producers.
Leiner and family: ABARIM is the first coffee farm manager position that Leiner has held. He was only 19 years old at the time. His youth, natural leadership, strength of character, rapid learning capacity, and work ethic have given ABARIM a positive character. Equally, his young wife Yurani from Timbio, Cauca Department and little girl Heidi brings happy, positive vibes to the farm.
Eivy
Pure Colombian of indigenous genetic origin with a love of coffee and the mountains. Master’s Degree in Environmental Science and Management from the University of Rhode Island .
Jimmy
Married since 2005 to Eivy and in previous professional jobs travelled to over 30 countries managing projects of environmental management and equitable social development. Ph.D. in Economics and early retired in 2018 to enjoy a new life and agricultural challenges in the Andes of Colombia.
Diofanor
Farm Administration
We are greatly fortunate that Diofanor could take on this role with us. He brings a lifetime of experience in coffee farming, including extension work.
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