About This Coffee
Nare Ware inherited his farm from his family and has spent the past two decades carrying their legacy forward with unwavering commitment. Alongside his son, Redat, he implements best farming practices, including pruning, stumping, and planting new coffee seedlings. Over the years, he has continuously refined his agronomic techniques, adopting the latest best practices to enhance both quality and productivity.
A combination of local landrace varieties and nutrient-rich soil provides the ideal foundation for Ware’s coffee to thrive. But it's his passion and dedication that truly set his coffee apart. By cultivating shade-grown coffee and producing his own compost, he eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers, ensuring a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to farming.
As part of the Lalisaa Project, Nare receives agronomy support from Sucafina Ethiopia, gaining access to farmer training sessions that enhance his skills in cultivation, harvesting, and processing. His commitment to high-quality production and participation in the Lalisaa Project allow him to access better markets and improve his earnings. Designed to empower smallholder farmers, the Lalisaa Project shortens the supply chain, improves quality, and increases yields.
Cultivation
On his 6-hectare farm, Nare embraces the principles of regenerative farming. Using agroforestry techniques, he cultivates both food and cash crops, creating a diverse and thriving ecosystem. The natural shade from intercropped plants fosters an ideal microclimate for his coffee trees. He grows a mixture of local landrace varieties—historically referred to as Ethiopian heirloom—ensuring genetic diversity and resilience. This holistic approach not only enriches the soil but also enhances biodiversity, benefiting the entire farm.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Nare and his family carefully handpick only the ripest, red cherry and dry it on raised beds, turning it frequently to ensure even drying. This meticulous process takes approximately 20 to 25 days, preserving the coffee’s vibrant flavors and complexity.
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.