Fazenda Rio Brilhante sits within a micro-region called Pântano which is located in the state of Minas Gerais. Pântano is known for its well-defined seasons, consistent seasonal rain, and overall favorable climate for coffee production. Specifically, these conditions are ideal for producing natural processed coffees, which represents on average 80% of the production of the farm. The harvest is mostly done mechanically using a colheitadeira (harvester) - specific machinery to perform this activity. Careful calibration of this equipment makes it possible to determine the quality and ripeness point at which coffee cherries should be harvested, resulting in more uniform and consistent lots. After picking, the cherries pass through a station that sorts by density - the denser and higher quality cherries are separated in order to create pulped natural and natural processed coffees that will receive more detail focused fermentation and drying. The farm has more than 1,600 hectares of planted coffee and produces an average of 130,000 bags of coffee per harvest. The 1,600 hectares are divided into 45 different sections that present their own unique terroir and micro-climate. The 45 sections are separated by large trees such as grevillea and mahogany. These trees act as a natural divider between coffee sections and also between the untouched areas, preserving the biodiversity of the farm. By law every rural property must maintain as a forest reserve, an area with native vegetation coverage. In the Cerrado Mineiro region this area is equivalent to 20% of the farm. In addition, these trees provide shelter for the coffee plants from the winds that are frequent in the very flat Pântano micro region.