Coffee lovers meet the grower

Sisters Coffee Company hosted a special "Meet The Grower" night on Saturday evening, welcoming their guest, Aurelio Villatoro, visiting from Central America and his family coffee plantation. Owners Winfield and Joy Durham introduced their friend and presented a slide show and short film directed by Eli Pyke and Zion Pictures, chronicling their relationship with Villatoro and his premium coffee crop.

In January of 2010, the Durham family traveled to the mountains of Guatemala, where they met with Villatoro and toured their Finca Villaure coffee plantation in the Huehuetenango area and its rolling hills, ripe with the fruit of the coffee plants. Impressed with the people and their first-class operation, the Durhams purchased an entire micro-lot of coffee beans, enough to last a whole year.

"We bought the whole hillside," said Winfield. "It's very exciting for a roaster to go and see where the coffee is grown, to smell it and to touch it. We're really excited about this coffee and having the opportunity to repay his hospitality here in Sisters."

Villatoro, quiet and shy, shook hands with residents and answered short questions on his coffee.

"Behind each cup of coffee that is made is a family, and that is my family," said a smiling Villatoro via an interpreter. "Besides the rich volcanic soil in the region, water from the springs is very pure and gives the coffee its flavor."

Guests were treated to samples of Aurelio's 2011 crop that placed second in the Guatemala Cup of Excellence, the prestigious national coffee competition that receives thousands of entries.

"He's had such a great time since he's been here," said Joy Durham. "Rick Geraths took him fly fishing on the Deschutes River and he caught a bunch of fish. Today we went horseback riding out at Black Butte Ranch Stables and it was beautiful. It's been like a little vacation for him. He's so kind and gracious."

Following the travel film, Villatoro played a few folk songs on his guitar.

"We're not just selling his coffee by the cup or by the pound, we also use it in espressos and to blend and mix to create other coffees," said Winfield. "This was a milestone for our business, to be able to establish this direct-trade partnership and buy that much coffee."

"I am so grateful to Sisters Coffee and the special connection we have made between us," said Villatoro. "From our family to theirs."