The
Fero washing station is located near Fero town in the Sidamo zone. The
3574 small farmers that produce this coffee are members of the Fero
Cooperative and bring their cherries to this station after picking. Each
farmer has about 2 hectares of land. Besides coffee they grow false
banana and fruits such as mango, avocado, banana, pineapple and guava.
Other trees that they grow on their land are the Acacia, Bibra and Sesa,
which all provide shade for the coffee plants. After picking, the
cherries are sorted and pulped in an Agared pulper. This machine has no
demucilager. After that, the beans are fermented for about 36 to 48
hours in a water tank. All the water that is used comes from the local
river. After washing the coffee, it is dried in its parchment on drying
bed for about 10 days. Finally, the coffee is stored in the local
warehouse before it is transported to Addis Ababa.
We've tasted coffee from many of these groups, but over time have zeroed
in on the Fero Cooperative. Their coffee shines due to their particular
locale, which is vaulted high in the mountains above the Rift Valley at
nearly 2,000 meters. This impressive elevation causes the coffee
cherries to mature slowly, developing a physically dense bean, filled
with nuanced and complex flavors. We also love the fact that Fero uses
washed processing: immediately after harvest, the pulp of the coffee
cherry fruit is removed by milling. After that, the bean is fermented,
washed and then dried on raised beds. Washed coffee results in a
cleaner, brighter, more consistent coffee.
In a business that spans oceans and continents, relationships are
important. This is our third year in a row working with the Fero
Cooperative, and we couldn't be more excited by the commitment to
quality we've seen with this group of dedicated farmers.
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