Ayele is an experienced smallholder and a father of 11 (!) from a very specific location within the Garbicho district called Harruu. This unique place is famous for its traditional community based on centuries-old legacies and important rituals for its inhabitants who live very close and in close harmony with each other. Almost all of the villagers are more or less directly linked to coffee production, which they revere as a great sacredness.

We visited Harruu in January 2025 for the first time thanks to our exporting partner in Guji, Gemechu Shonora, and were exceptionally welcomed by members of the community, which caused us great admiration and respect.

Ayele, who is also a chairman of the coffee union in the Garbicho area, is able to produce around 30 tons of fresh cherries from his 10-hectare plot annually which translates to around 50 bags of exportable green coffee. Although he also buys cherries from the nearby smallholders, this lot (ET2506) comes directly from his very farm.

We can call the way he processes his coffee as the most classic, time-tested Ethiopian natural. The cherries of a 74158 varietal, also known as wolega, are skillfully harvested at peak ripeness and transformed into african beds for drying. This lasts for around 25-30 days and then the coffee is put into bigger plastic bags, then moved to a shaded and covered storage on the site in order to homogenize before being dry-milled.

We loved Ayele’s lot showcasing both elegant, floral, citric and fruity notes typical for the region, but also an extremely pleasant winey and tropical layers.