Kenya Gichathaini
Orange Blossom, Sweet Cherry Tomatoes, Grapefruit, Sweet
Region: Nyeri, Gichathaini
Process: Washed Process
Varietal: SL34, SL 28 Ruiru 11
Altitude: 1850 masl
Farm: Microlot 7Gichathaini is one of three washing stations that together form the Gikanda Farmers’ cooperative society and owned by the coffee farmers who deliver cherries to the station. There are currently 897 members, with 770 of them active and selling coffees through the factory.
The washing station itself is located on the Eastern side of Mt. Kenya national park about 6 km from the town of Karatina. The conditions for coffee growing are near perfect: there is abundant rainfall throughout the year, with concentrated wet periods between March-June and October- December. The average daily temperatures range from 15 C to 26 C with considerable cooling taking place at night. The water used at the station for fermenting and washing the coffee is drawn from the nearby Ragati river using gravity-fed channels and is re-circulated during processing for conservation purposes.