About This Coffee
At Bogale Deyaso's Calba farm in the heart of Yirgacheffe, his legacy of specialty coffee production spans two decades. Nestled on his 3-hectare land, which he inherited from his father in the 1990s, Bogale dedicates his passion and expertise to cultivating and producing outstanding coffee.
For many years, Bogale sold his coffee to local specialty exporters. In 2019, he made a pivotal decision to join the Lalisaa program. With Lalisaa, Bogale exports his exceptional coffee directly, garnering a higher portion of the total value.
As a father of four sons and three daughters, Bogale relies on the coffee he cultivates as his primary source of income to sustain and provide for his family. Together with his wife, who plays a significant role in managing the farm, Bogale hires local labor from nearby towns to assist during the harvest season.
Cultivation
Like most farms in Yirgacheffe, Bogale's coffee is cultivated without the use of fertilizers. To ensure the health and vitality of his soil, Bogale employs various productivity techniques on his farm, including mulching, pruning and composting. These practices not only enhance the chemical and physical properties of the soil but also help retain moisture during dry seasons.
In addition to coffee, Bogale also cultivates inset, fruit and timber trees, and legumes. Timber and fruit trees provide shade for growing coffee while legumes fix necessary nitrogen in the soil, which nourishes coffee plants.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Cherry is selectively handpicked and processed on Bogale’s farm. Ripe, red cherry is laid to dry on raised beds and is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 2 to 3 weeks for parchment to dry. Once dry, cherry is bagged and stored for 1 to 2 months to rest. Bogale’s coffee is dry milled at Tsige Arada PLC dry mill in Yirgacheffe.
Coffee in Ethiopia
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.