WHO ARE WE?

We are Bill Eichner, an ophthalmologist with farmer roots in Nebraska, and Julia Alvarez, a writer and teacher and a native of the Dominican Republic. The farm we bought is named after the country’s protector, La Altagracia, which also refers to "high grace." We needed her blessing to help us meet our first challenge—to produce specialty coffee from "used-up"pasture land, using organic methods.

But an even greater challenge faced us—how to improve the quality of life for our farm community, the workers and small growers, their families and neighbors? How to contend with the industry of poverty we had entered? Beyond growing coffee, we chose to work for all the social, environmental, spiritual, and political issues that comprise sustainability. We wanted high grace to encompass all aspects of our coffee dream: plants and farmers and ultimately those who purchase and drink our coffee.