Site decription

Nensebo District is found 385 km south of Addis Ababa and 135 km from Shashemenne, the capital of the West-Arsi Zone. Werka is the administrative center of the district. Nensebo is located between 6°35' N and 39°10'. The District of West Arsi is one of the finest coffee hubs in Ethiopia. The district which is found at the southern West periphery of West Arsi, is characterized by mountain range type of land form. Our Bale mountain coffee farm is located within this district. Bale mountain coffee farm is a shade coffee plantation established in 2013.

Coffee Type

The type of coffee are coded 74112,74110,74140. The brewed cup is distinguished by its well-balanced body (mouth feel) and noticeable spicy flavors, often fruit-toned, pleasantly sweet and vibrant with floral overtones medium pointed acidity, and Long after taste like Lemon grass. The fruity tone is more of dried figs, berries and under tone of chocolate.

Production

The coffee is planted at 2.5X 2.5m spacing. When the coffee plants attain a height of about 0.5 m or at age of 6-9months; we bent it in an east to west direction to initiate multiple branches from which the lowest and most healthy 2 are selected and maintained together with the original plantlet. This ensures higher yield and profitability per tree. We use cultural method like mulching, pruning and intercropping. Continuous de-suckering of the coffee plants is highly practiced. Large indigenous trees have been used as shade cover for the farm. The canopies provide shade thus (mitigating against excessive temperatures and heat stress) while the litter fall is the main source of soil organic content. Shade trees are also the main source of soil nitrogen as most of them are legume tree species. We protect the seedling of these indigenous trees so that natural regeneration could take place. The farm is being irrigated and we use bedeso river as water source.