Buku Sayisa Hambella SP Natural Gr. 1

Buku Sayisa (or “Blessed Valley”) is a coffee-producing region located in the Hambella woreda, Guji region. The region benefits from significant rainfall, which contributes to lush vegetation and fertile soil, creating a perfect environment for coffee cultivation. Coffee here is cultivated at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 2,300 meters above sea level. High altitude and cool climate encourage slower maturation of coffee cherries, resulting in sweet, dense beans.  

The community in Buku Sayisa maintains a deep cultural connection to coffee. To smallholder farmers in the region, coffee is embedded in generational traditions and in daily life. It’s not only a source of livelihood but also cultural identity and social cohesion. This Natural lot was produced by 600 smallholder producers living in Buku Sayisa. Cultivated and processed with an eye toward excellence, this lot delivers a nuanced and sweet profile, characterized by vibrant fruit notes and cacao nibs.  

The volcanic soil in Buku Sayisa is well-draining and rich in nutrient, providing an excellent foundation for coffee plants to thrive. This combination of soaring altitude, rainfall and soil quality results in the production of unique and flavorful beans that are highly prized.

Farming methods in Guji remain largely traditional. Guji farmers typically intercrop their coffee plants with other food crops. This method is common among smallholders because it maximizes land use and provides food for their families.   

In addition to remaining traditionally intercropped, most farms are also traditional and organic-by-default. Farmers in Guji typically use very few, if any, fertilizers or pesticides. Most farm work is done manually and very few tasks are mechanized, even during processing.  

Smallholder farmers selectively handpick ripe, red cherries and deliver them to the drying station to process. At intake, cherries are carefully sorted to remove any defected, under or over-ripe fruits. Selected cherries are then fermented in 36-48 hours. After fermentation, cherries are laid in thin layers to dry on raised beds. During this stage, drying cherries are covered with shade to prevent them from direct sunlight while being raked frequently to ensure even drying. It typically takes 27-30 days for cherries to dry.  

Grades in Ethiopia depend on visual inspection for defects and on cup quality. Grade 1 is considered the highest quality coffee. Grade 1 and 2 are considered specialty coffee, grades 3-9 are classified as commercial coffee. Grade 1 is free of cup faults and taints and has zero quakers.

The Oromos in Ethiopia were consuming coffee centuries before the appearance of the legendary story of Kaldi and his goats. 

The Oromos’ coffee-origin story tells of Waqa, the supreme sky God, who punished one of his men with death. It was only after the man’s death that Waqa realized the man was innocent and had been a loyal servant. The next morning, Waqa visited the man’s burial place. Full of grief about killing an innocent and loyal man, tears fell from his eyes onto the grave. Watered by Waqa’s tears, a previously unseen plant emerged from the soil. As you may have guessed, that mysterious, new plant that grew nourished by Waqa's tears was coffee. 

Today, Oromia’s fertile red soil is primed for coffee cultivation. The highland slopes nurture countless heirloom varieties that are found nowhere else.