Chelbesa station, managed by Ephtah, sits at 2,200 meters above sea level on a 2-hectare site with 150 raised beds. Ephtah supports women through education, financial training, financing, and leadership initiatives. The region’s fertile soil and unique microclimate produce Ethiopian heirloom coffees with distinctive fruity and floral qualities.
Farmers grow heirloom varieties at 2,150-2,200 meters and handpick only ripe cherries. The cherries are carefully sorted, pulped, fermented for 48-72 hours, washed, and sundried for 10-15 days. In Ethiopia, “heirloom” refers mainly to unidentified coffee varieties, including wild regional landraces and JARC varieties developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center.⠋
