Kenya Coffee Visit, Coffee Estates, Part 1 of 3, Nov. 2007

The heart of Kenya coffee production and quality is concentrated in south-central Kenya, between Mt. Kenya and the capital, Nairobi. The equator passes right over the Mt. Kenya area. See th ...

2009-01-27T00:21:36Z

George Howell
The heart of Kenya coffee production and quality is concentrated in south-central Kenya, between Mt. Kenya and the capital, Nairobi. The equator passes right over the Mt. Kenya area. See th ...

The great coffees grow in stream-fed hills gently rising from the 4,500 foot central Kenya plain. The area extends from Nairobi, in the south, along the eastern edge of the Aberdare mountai ...

2009-01-27T00:22:36Z

George Howell
The great coffees grow in stream-fed hills gently rising from the 4,500 foot central Kenya plain. The area extends from Nairobi, in the south, along the eastern edge of the Aberdare mountai ...

I was the guest of C Dorman Ltd., a Kenya exporting company specializing in the finest qualities. I have been working with them since the days of The Coffee Connection. This is one of thei ...

2009-01-26T07:33:59Z

George Howell
I was the guest of C Dorman Ltd., a Kenya exporting company specializing in the finest qualities. I have been working with them since the days of The Coffee Connection. This is one of thei ...

This is C Dorman's main cupping lab. At the height of the coffee buying season several hundred coffees might be cupped in a single week. There are two cups for each coffee lot. Finer coff ...

2009-01-26T07:32:00Z

George Howell
This is C Dorman's main cupping lab. At the height of the coffee buying season several hundred coffees might be cupped in a single week. There are two cups for each coffee lot. Finer coff ...

C Dorman warehouse & mill. Each bag of green coffee weighs 132 lbs.. These are coffees from the fly crop, harvested this summer. The main crop is harvested in November-December and produce ...

2009-01-27T00:19:27Z

George Howell
C Dorman warehouse & mill. Each bag of green coffee weighs 132 lbs.. These are coffees from the fly crop, harvested this summer. The main crop is harvested in November-December and produce ...

Gridlock in Nairobi, a common occurrence....

2009-01-26T07:37:55Z

George Howell
Gridlock in Nairobi, a common occurrence....

Metalware market on the road out of Nairobi.

2009-01-26T07:29:42Z

George Howell
Metalware market on the road out of Nairobi.

View through the windshield as we drive into the countryside.

2009-01-26T07:24:38Z

George Howell
View through the windshield as we drive into the countryside.

Driving past coffee estates. At over 5,000 feet the land rolls gently.

2009-01-26T07:25:02Z

George Howell
Driving past coffee estates. At over 5,000 feet the land rolls gently.

Coffee estates can be quite large. They are much more productive than small farms but, as a general rule, produce lower quality. There are occasional exceptions! We had very fine coffee fro ...

2009-01-26T07:23:29Z

George Howell
Coffee estates can be quite large. They are much more productive than small farms but, as a general rule, produce lower quality. There are occasional exceptions! We had very fine coffee fro ...

Yadini Estate

2009-01-26T07:27:57Z

George Howell
Yadini Estate

Kenya has two crops per year. The fly crop is flowering now.

2009-01-26T07:25:03Z

George Howell
Kenya has two crops per year. The fly crop is flowering now.

The Arabica coffee plant is self-pollinating.

2009-01-26T07:26:13Z

George Howell
The Arabica coffee plant is self-pollinating.

Coffee cherries at Yadimi Estate have been picked and most unripes sorted out, seen here.

2009-01-26T07:24:33Z

George Howell
Coffee cherries at Yadimi Estate have been picked and most unripes sorted out, seen here.

Over-ripe, ripe and still quite a few unripes sit in the receiving tank ready to be depulped. This will not make a great lot....

2009-01-26T07:27:48Z

George Howell
Over-ripe, ripe and still quite a few unripes sit in the receiving tank ready to be depulped. This will not make a great lot....

Cherries exit the receiving tank, behind the white wall, and are depulped. Those that float are over-ripe or diseased. Better quality beans sink; these are seen exiting to the left, below ...

2009-01-26T07:24:11Z

George Howell
Cherries exit the receiving tank, behind the white wall, and are depulped. Those that float are over-ripe or diseased. Better quality beans sink; these are seen exiting to the left, below ...

After being depulped, the beans are still coated with a thin layer of fruit called mucilage. They must ferment (the mucilage will rot, essentially) for up to 36 hours. Then turbulent water c ...

2009-01-26T07:26:51Z

George Howell
After being depulped, the beans are still coated with a thin layer of fruit called mucilage. They must ferment (the mucilage will rot, essentially) for up to 36 hours. Then turbulent water c ...

Next, the coffee is dried on racks. It had just been raining, so the coffees are still wrapped in plastic. Five minutes later it started to rain again. The main harvest is also the time o ...

2009-01-26T07:18:37Z

George Howell
Next, the coffee is dried on racks. It had just been raining, so the coffees are still wrapped in plastic. Five minutes later it started to rain again. The main harvest is also the time o ...

It takes 7 to 10 days for the beans to dry. Racks allow ventilation from below to even out and to quicken drying. The beans are protected from occasional rain by a plastic covering ,which ...

2009-01-26T07:20:38Z

George Howell
It takes 7 to 10 days for the beans to dry. Racks allow ventilation from below to even out and to quicken drying. The beans are protected from occasional rain by a plastic covering ,which ...

Coffee still has skin, called parchment, which protects it. As the beans inside dry, they shrink, leaving the skins loosely covering the beans and easily removable when the time comes. In ...

2009-01-26T07:21:49Z

George Howell
Coffee still has skin, called parchment, which protects it. As the beans inside dry, they shrink, leaving the skins loosely covering the beans and easily removable when the time comes. In ...

Ordinarily one would see people standing over the beans and hand sorting blemished ones out. It was just a few weeks away from the presidential election, however, and management was complai ...

2009-01-26T07:18:08Z

George Howell
Ordinarily one would see people standing over the beans and hand sorting blemished ones out. It was just a few weeks away from the presidential election, however, and management was complai ...

Man with 5 buckets, or "debes".

2009-01-26T07:22:37Z

George Howell
Man with 5 buckets, or "debes".

Women lifting dried beans into conditioning bins above.

2009-01-26T07:19:31Z

George Howell
Women lifting dried beans into conditioning bins above.

She is receiving the dried beans, still in parchment, above. Over the next few weeks the beans will dry still further and stabilize. They will then be ready for final preparation and packa ...

2009-01-26T07:19:02Z

George Howell
She is receiving the dried beans, still in parchment, above. Over the next few weeks the beans will dry still further and stabilize. They will then be ready for final preparation and packa ...

More estates as we return to Nairobi.

2009-01-26T07:21:22Z

George Howell
More estates as we return to Nairobi.

It is dark before we get back. On the highway...

2009-01-26T07:22:40Z

George Howell
It is dark before we get back. On the highway...