Senel Campos - La Toboba Jocotes
Life looked very different for Senel as a child in Costa Rica. Days began with long walks to school, kilometers that stretched under the weight of an empty stomach. He shared a small, crowded house with his brothers and sisters, where food was scarce, and hardship was simply a part of life. But Costa Rica has changed. And so has Senel’s story. Here, hard work isn’t just rewarded—it’s transformative. With grit and determination, you can shape the life you want.
Senel Campos was the first producer I bought coffee from in Costa Rica back in 2019. I remember tasting exceptionally well-processed honey lots—Catuai, Caturra, and Villa Sarchi—that left a lasting impression. Together with Ricardo, we set off early, driving for hours through winding roads to reach a place that would stay with me forever.
The destination was like stepping into another world—calm, quiet, and slow-moving. Senel’s house and farm sat nestled in a mesmerizing valley, overlooking the southern stretches of the country with the Pacific Ocean visible in the distance. The San Jeronimo River carved through the valley below, its waters a perfect spot to cold dip and reset each day.
Cloudy mornings and sunny afternoons create the perfect conditions for slow maturation at La Toboba. The farm is also home to a family of bald eagles.
A piece of history
For me, working with friends has always been the most meaningful path. From that first visit, Senel and I became more than partners—we became friends who share meals, bring food, and sit together. I deeply admire Senel’s humility, his family-centered values, and his unwavering work ethic, all carried with quiet dedication and never a word of complaint. Over the years, I’ve watched their story grow—new land, expanding opportunities, shared moments of joy, and memories of the past.
Seeing his newborn grandson on a recent visit was one of those beautiful moments we get to share. Now, Senel and his son, Alan, run their family farm, La Toboba. Each year, they reinvest most of what they earn into buying more land and improving their processes, steadily building their future. And every time we visit, we’re struck once again by that same stunning view, the rhythm of the valley, and, of course, the irresistible pull of the cold San Jeronimo River.
Three Farms
Today, Don Senel has three farms, Las Huacas, Jocotes and El Cola Roja, planted with Catuai, Caturra, Gesha, Obata and Villa Sarchi trees. The topography of the land is broken and uneven, but all farms enjoy nutrient-rich soil and a unique microclimate created between two nearby mountain canyons, sliced by Jeronimo river.
The micromill has changed quite a lot from its beginnings in 2014, including raised beds and greenhouse drying areas and more modernized equipment and tools. Processing at the mill has also changed from the more traditional practices utilized at first, now involving the measurement and tracking of variables like pH and Brix degrees to control and influence the final cup profile of each microlot.
Location of La Toboba Jocotes
Jocotes is placed on sloping terrain that rises aggressively from the stunning Cataratas Don Kilo waterfall, with streams flowing at its base. The Brunca growing region is located in the southern area of Costa Rica and comprises the two youngest coffee producing cantons in the country, Coto Brus and Pérez Zeledón.
The region is bordered by Panama to the East, the Pacific Ocean to the South and West, and the Cordillera de Talamanca mountains—home to Chirripó, the tallest peak in Costa Rica—to the North. Coffee cultivation here began in the 1950s when Italian settlers and local Costa Ricans established the first coffee farms in the area. Today, the economy of the canton revolves almost entirely around coffee, with 2,600 producers across 75 communities cultivating the crop.
Cloudy mornings and sunny afternoons create the perfect conditions for slow maturation at La Toboba. The farm is also home to a family of bald eagles.
