Sorting

Women in Ethiopia sorting coffee beans after the washing process and during the drying process.

Drying

Coffee bean drying on Raised African Beds. This method of drying is very efficient. The beds sit approx. 1 meter off the ground with a mesh on which the coffee beans sit on. The mesh allows for air to pass through the beans. The quicker the beans dry, the farmers face less risk of the coffee starting to rot.

Fermentation

During the "washed" process, the coffee beans are allowed to sit in fermentation tanks for approximately 12 hours. This helps the "silverskin" to separate from the bean. The Silverskin is a thin layer of mucilage on the outside of the bean.

Pulping

The coffee cherries run through this machine to separate the beans from the cherries; known as a pulping machine. They normally feature a few disks that remove the cherry gently, but with force. If the machine is calibrated properly there is no damage to the bean. Breakage is something that is avoided by the higher quality beans.

Washing

After fermentation the beans run through a gutter system and workers agitate the beans to help remove the silver skin. This is were "washed" processing gets its name.

Washing

After the coffee is washed in the gutter system, it is collected and is set out to dry.

Risks

Washed coffee sometimes has environmental consequences. Not only does it take tons of water to process the beans, often time the cherries are transported to lagoons (as in this photo) where they rot and erase oxygen out of the water supply. Heavy rains often cause these lagoons to over flow and the oxygen depraved water spills out into rivers and lakes. This can cause fish kills and other problems with the natural environment. The best solution is an active composting regime

Pulping

A close up of the blades on the pulper.

Washing

After fermentation the coffee flows down gutters like these. The works use special rakes to swish the coffee around to help the silverskin to detach.

Pulping

Another view of the blade. Typically these machines will have between 3-5 blades

Pulping

Another view of the entire machine. I bet you didn't know that santa was a coffee worker in the off season.

Washing

another view of the final collection tank

Washing

Another view of the collection tank with worker for scale.

Washing

It's hard work to shove all of these beans. This coffee has yet to be dried and has a very high water content.

Washing

The cherries after they have been separated. In this specific photo; these cherries are destined for the lagoon that was pictured earlier. So much nutrition for the soil just wasted.

Shipping

Once the coffee has been processed, dried, sorted, and bagged; they sit in a warehouse waiting for pickup to make the long journey to the exporters warehouse.

Wieghing

In Ethiopia, most of the coffee is produced by small holds. These small farmers bring their harvest into the washing station of the growing collective. The cherries are weighed before being added to all the other lots that were brought in.

Weighting

Santa hard at work to bring all the good boy and girls excellent coffee grown in the Sidamo region.

Coffee Trees

These are the bean before they plucked. Hand picked is best, because as you can see; not all the beans are ripe. Mechanical pickers can't tell a difference between ripe and unripe.

Homes

In Ethiopia, there are many people who struggle to make a living and during this trip, I wanted to take some photos of coffee farmer's living conditions.

Homes

Very basic coffee farmer homes

Quality Lab

The Coffee Quality Laboratory in Ethiopia.

The Lab

Samples waiting for tasting at the lab. In Ethiopia, they are beginning to trade market the growing regions. Each region is suppose to have a specific terroir. They are part of this process at this lab.

Sorting

Sorting

Homes

A child chases the convoy

Drying

This, my friends; is Natural coffee. Instead of separating the beans and cherries, both are dried together. This causes the fruity/sappiness to go into the bean, giving the coffee some very intense flavors (when done correctly). Natural coffees need extra special attention during drying because mold is never very far away.

Drying

Not often picture when you see photos taken at the coffee farms. This is the guard house. Usually there are a few armed guards on the premises.

Drying

A field, full of drying beds. Gives you a good idea of how much coffee they process, no?

The Nursery

The baby coffee bushes. It takes a minimum of 4 years before the plants can grow fruit.

Another view of the nursery

Travels

Typical country village. Even in the Capital (Addis Ababa) has still dirt roads in places.

Travels

The hustle and bustle of Addis

Workers

Some shots of some of the workers.

Workers

Workers

Fermentation

Coffee in the fermentation tank.

Workers

A few workers with a transportation stretcher, walking back and forth all day long from the drying beds.

Workers

A few workers with a transportation stretcher (different view), walking back and forth all day long from the drying beds.

Washing

The transportation stretchers have a wire mesh which allows the water to pass through but not the beans.

Workers

Workers from the farm

Workers

A large group, sorting through the coffee

Washing

Yet another view of the transportation stretcher

Washing

See the silverskin (and other foreign bodies) floating at the surface of the water?

Washing

workers

A lot of the times in Ethiopia, the coffee is farmed on small hold farms where even the children have to help. A bit of a grey area in regards to child labor.

Workers

A lot of the times in Ethiopia, the coffee is farmed on small hold farms where even the children have to help. A bit of a grey area in regards to child labor.

Travels

Market day

Drying

The workers take a break in the hot sun.

Workers

Sorting and turning the beans during drying

Workers

Workers

Workers

Washing

A full view of the washing station. Pulping station is at the highest point, followed by the fermentation tank, then the washing gutters, and finally the collection tank. The workers are standing to the exit point of the collection tank.

Workers

workers

Workers

Workers

All hands on deck for the harvest

Workers

All hands on deck for the harvest

Trees

Cherries dried on the tree. In this specific area, when asked why there were dried beans on the trees; the people replied "It's because we couldn't harvest it fast enough. We had only enough people to harvest the very best"

Drying

Massive amounts of space is needed for the drying beds.

Workers

Washing

The washing gutters.

Washing

Another view of the washing gutters

Workers

Our Guide. Photogenic huh?

Drying

Workers carry coffee away that has finished drying. These sacks can sometimes weigh 50-60kg

Workers

Workers

A small hold farmer bringing in his harvest by donkey for weighing

Workers

A small hold farmer bringing in his harvest by donkey for weighing

Travels

A man herding some animals as the convoy passed

Travels

What a view!

Workers

Workers

Travels

Typical hut.

Workers

Workers

Workers

Tree

The coffee flowers. Delicate and beautiful

Workers

Tree

Tree

Tree

Loaded with ripe cherries

Nursery

This Nursery is shaded to protect the baby plants from the strong sun.

Nursery

Look at them babies

Trees

Close up of the cherries

Trees

Trees in the Jungle

Conservation

At one farm, on the outskirts; just on the other side. workers mining gold. I don't think I have to say anything about this, just look at the destruction. Quite frequently they leave the holes which can be a danger in the future.

Workers

Spying the spies

Drying

Drying beds

Workers

More sorting

Conservation

Active composting

Travels

Looking out the back of the land cruisers

Travels

Travels

Travels

Young child herding some cows.

Travels

What a great view

Travels

So many great views