TRADITIONAL
Nº 208 Democratic Republic of Congo Kasundi Kivu
Country: Democratic Republic of Congo
Process: Washed
Grown / Region: Kasundi, Mususa, Butembo, North Kivu
Altitude: 2017m - 2039m
Varietals: Blue Mountain, Katwai, Rumangabo
Producers: 359 Smallholders
Tasting Notes: Treacle, Cocoa & Blackberry
Roast Level: Dark 5/5
FARM NOTES:
Located at the border with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, the Kivu area is home to coffees with stunning cup profiles. While the area is subject to ongoing conflicts, cooperation between coffee farmers, Farm Africa, and the Virunga National Park is encouraging peace through the growing of specialty coffee. Through the Virunga National Park coffee programme, farmers are starting to realise the full potential of their coffees.
Kivu comes to us through the smallholders who reside around The Virunga National park which sits in the Eastern part of The DRC. The area faces many problems with ongoing conflicts and existential challenges. Farm Africa and The Virunga National park work to inspire peace within the community through growing speciality coffee; it is well known that the area contains some of the finest Arabica coffee growing land in the world. The Virunga National park are dedicated to conservation of extraordinary wildlife and likewise the socio-economic well being of the people who live around the park. This coffee provides us with a full body; treacle and Cocoa shine through with hints of blackberry.
DISCOVERY
Nº 209 Honduras Tierra Lenca Womens Co-op
Country: Honduras
Process: Washed
Grown / Region: Erandique, Lempura
Altitude: 1600 - 1800m
Varietals: Lempira, Typica, Caturra, Bourbon
Producers: Producers from Tres Cruces, La Mora and La Mina
Tasting Notes: Caramel, Chocolate & Citrus Fruit
Roast Level: Medium 3/5
FARM NOTES:
There are 18 families that benefit directly from Tierra Lenca and the entire Tres Cruces community benefit from the relationships created through the women's group.
First known as Bendicion de Dios, the women's groups was renamed Tierra Lenca in 2015. The producers from Tres Cruces, La Mora and La Mina located in Erandique town, Lempira, have been working together, sharing resources and infrastructure, such as the drying tables and hullers to process and dry their coffees.
The de-pulping and fermentation process involves leaving the coffee cherry in a fermentation tank with water to extract any that float. The coffees are then de-pulped the next morning. (Which is not normal for Honduras standards). The coffee is fermented and when the mucilage is easy to remove, the bean is completely washed or semi washed depending on the amount of coffee gathered by the group.
The women’s group Tierra Lenca once known as Benediction de Does, greatly benefits the entire Tres Cruces community. The farmers from the three producers located around the town of Erandique in Lempira, have been working together sharing resources and infrastructure to help produce high quality lots. Using practises that aren’t the norm in Honduras they are able to create this great clean washed coffee with Chocolate and caramel with hints of citrus fruits.