Ethiopia Gelana Gesha Natural

Ethiopia Gelana Gesha Natural

Region: Guji
Altitude: 1850 – 2,000 masl
Plant Varietal: Gori Gesha
Tasting Notes: Strawberry, Apple, Mango

Another main farm of Kerchanshe is the Gelana Gesha coffee farm covering 1.5 hectares of coffee cultivation under the Greenhouse technique. In this greenhouse, every agronomic practice is computer controlled using smart techniques. This is to guarantee uniform growth for our coffee seedlings.

During planting season, the saplings are planted very early in the morning or late in the evening. Temporary shades are provided to the newly planted saplings and water in the case of water-stressed areas. We believe that shade trees are extremely important in coffee farming. With their umbrella-shaped canopies providing shade to the coffee plants, shade trees help to mitigate excessive temperatures and heat stress that is responsible for flower and fruit abortion.

Shade trees provide other benefits too. We use deep-rooted shade trees to recover soil nutrients from deeper soil horizons and transport them to their leaves. When the leaves fall and rot, they provide organic matter or manure which is released to the coffee plantation. This organic matter in turn improves the soil texture and water retention thus availing the much-needed water to the coffee.

Besides, deep-rooted trees don’t compete with the coffee for water and other nutrients. Also, shade trees of the leguminous species capture much needed Nitrogen from the atmosphere and convert it into nitrates which are used by the coffee for numerous purposes. Shade trees act as windbreakers to protect the coffee trees from excessive and destructive winds and some even repel dangerous pests found in the environment. Gelana Gesha farm is irrigated by drip irrigation and sprinklers using water from the Gelana river.