Ethiopia- Yukro

Origin: Ethiopia

Province: Oromia

Region: Agaro

Municipality: Jimma

Community: Wanja Kersa

Producers: Small-holder producers of the Wanja Kersa Community

Elevation: 1800-2200 masl

Varietals: Ethiopia Landraces

Process: Washed

Roast Level: Light

Tasting Notes: Lemon Candy, Apricot, Floral, Black Tea, Complex and Dynamic

A dditional Information:

Yukro is sourced from 579 smallholder farmers in Ethiopias Agaro region in Oromia in the Jimma Zone. Like the rest of Ethiopia, Jimma is divided into several woredas (districts) and kebeles (communities) with washing stations throughout. The Geera woreda is one of them, and within it lies the Wanja Kersa kebele, housing the Yukro washing station.

The community’s main source of income is coffee, which they grow on very small farms ranging from 0.1 to 2 hectares. Wanja Kersa’s producers intercrop using false banana trees and maize for shade, selecting based on the age of the coffee plant and its other needs. Their soil is a highly fertile sandy loam with good water retention and drainage. It’s self-sufficient with proper planting practices and doesn’t require fertilizer to produce spectacular quality. The harvest season usually goes from mid-October to late January and the farms are located at soaring altitudes that range from 1800-2200 masl.

The farmers of Wanja Kersa belong to the Oromo people and speak Oromo. They maintain certain ancestral customs and have a quiet lifestyle built almost entirely around coffee farming. Many families here struggle with lack of electricity and drinking-water access. Children in the area usually don’t start going to school until age 9 because they have to travel long distances to get to the nearest school. Due to this education gap, the majority of young people in the area end up dedicating themselves to agriculture: growing potatoes, coffee, maize, or false banana trees on their parents' or neighbors’ farms.

If you have been a long time customer of ours this coffee might sound familiar and you would be right; as we have sourced coffee from this washing station in years past. The cup quality is always incredibly dynamic with great clarity. In this lot we are getting notes of Apricot, Lemon Candy, and Floral Black Tea.