Monte Albán, a thousand-year-old Zapotec ruin, rises above the coffee farms nestled in the surrounding mountains. The Zapotecs, an advanced civilization, excelled in astronomy, writing, and medicine. Their legacy still infuses the region with a sense of magic, linking past and present through its culture, artifacts, and the rich coffee grown nearby. All farms providing coffee for Monte Albán are certified organic, the typical farm size is between 2-3 hectares. The coffee is grown in partial shade and after washed processing is sun dried on concrete patios and palm mats.