5kg - Ethiopia Halo Hartume Yirgacheffe Gr. 2 Organic

Located in the heart of some of the highest elevations for coffee cultivation, Halo Hartume washing station is perfectly situated to receive and process high-quality coffee. Owner Haile Figa is a Gedeb native with over a decade of experience in the coffee industry. Supported by Figa’s focus on strong relationships and community-building, over 560 producers deliver cherry to the station.

Cultivation

Farming methods in Yirgacheffe remain largely traditional. Yirgacheffe farmers typically intercrop their coffee plants with other food crops. This method is common among smallholders because it maximizes land use and provides food for their families.  In addition to remaining traditionally intercropped, most farms are also traditional and organic by default. Farmers in Yirgacheffe typically use very few — if any — fertilizers or pesticides. Most farm work is done manually and very few tasks are mechanized, even during processing.

Harvest & Post-Harvest

Farmers hand harvest cherry and deliver it to the Halo Hartume washing station. At intake, cherry is visually sorted and then pulped in the station’s disc pulper. Coffee is fermented and then washed in clean water. Workers lay the parchment on raised beds. Parchment is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 10 to 14 days for parchment to dry.

While Ethiopia is famous as coffee’s birthplace, today it remains a specialty coffee industry darling for its incredible variety of flavors. While full traceability has been difficult in recent history, new regulations have made direct purchasing possible. We’re partnering directly with farmers to help them produce top quality specialty lots that are now completely traceable, adding value for farmers and roasters, alike.

The exceptional quality of Ethiopian coffee is due to a combination of factors. The genetic diversity of coffee varieties means that we find a diversity of flavor, even between (or within) farms with similar growing conditions and processing. In addition to varieties, processing methods also contribute to end quality. The final key ingredients for excellent coffee in Ethiopia are the producing traditions that have created the genetic diversity, processing infrastructure and great coffee we enjoy today.

Most producers in Ethiopia are smallholders, and the majority continue to cultivate coffee using traditional methods. As a result, most coffee is grown with no chemical fertilizer or pesticide use. Coffee is almost entirely cultivated, harvested and dried using manual systems.