Nano Genji #3

CO-OP: Nano Genji #3

LOCATION: Agaro Gera, Jimma, Ethiopia

ALTITUDE: 1900-2200 MASL

VARIETY: Ethiopian Landraces

PROCESSES: Washed

Tasting Notes: Watermelon, Lime, Vanilla Frosting

One of the cornerstones of the Night Swim Coffee menu are fresh Ethiopian coffees that arrive every summer from our friends at Red Fox Coffee Merchants. These historic and storied lots from the Agaro region of Ethiopia showcase the complexity, acidity, and florality that we’ve grown to expect from fresh Ethiopian coffees. We’re more thrilled than ever to offer a lot from Nano Genji - our fourth time buying from the co-op. Nano Genji is a part of the Kata Muduga Union, a union of 39 co-ops and washing stations that focus on quality coffees and paying dividends directly to the Union members.

Like the rest of Ethiopia, Jimma is divided into several woredas (districts) and kebeles (communities) with washing stations throughout—each offering unique terroir. The Geera woreda is one of them, and within it lies the Genji Challa kebele, which houses both the Nano Genji and Nano Challah washing stations.

In the Nano Genji washing station, the coffees are washed and mechanically depulped, then soaked overnight. After fermentation, coffee is dried for 6 to 8 hours a day over 6 to 8 days on raised beds, with frequent turning for even drying.

The area of Genji Challa is characterized by high rainfall distributed across the whole growing season. The harvest season usually goes from mid-October to late January. The farms are located at soaring altitudes that range from 2000-2050 masl. The community’s main source of income is coffee, which they grow on very small farms ranging from 0.1 to 2 hectares.

Genji Challa’s producers intercrop using false banana trees and maize for shade, selecting based on the age of the coffee plant and its other needs. Their soil is a highly fertile sandy loam with good water retention and drainage. It’s self-sufficient with proper planting practices and doesn’t require fertilizer to produce spectacular quality.

The farmers of Genji Challa belong to the Oromo people and speak Oromo. They maintain certain ancestral customs and have a quiet lifestyle built almost entirely around coffee farming. Many families here struggle with lack of electricity and drinking-water access. Children in the area usually don’t start going to school until age 9 because they have to travel long distances to get to the nearest school. Due to this education gap, the majority of young people in the area end up dedicating themselves to agriculture: growing potatoes, coffee, maize, or false banana trees on their parents' or neighbors’ farms.