Country
Ethiopia
Location
Sidama, Bensa Woreda
Altitude (masl)
1900 m.a.s.l.
Varieties
74110
Solomon has been immersed in coffee farming since childhood, spending his entire life growing coffee on his own farm that spreads over around 6 hectares.
For many years, he sold his coffee cherries to a nearby wet mill. However, in 2020, he took a significant step by expanding his operations to process the cherries directly on his farm.
By doing this, Solomon is able to retain more value from his coffee production, which not only increases the quality but also boosts his overall income.
We visited Sidama during our 2024 Ethiopian sourcing trip and were treated to traditionally roasted and brewed coffee from a fresh harvest.
All the harvested coffee cherries are floated in a tank of water, and Solomon carefully selects only the perfectly red ripe ones.
Then they’re dried in the sun, and are stirred six times a day to ensure even drying and to prevent the formation of mold or other spoilage.
Depending on the amount of sunlight and temperature, it takes about 15 to 20 days for the cherries to reach the optimum moisture content for green bean processing.