Gatina AA, Kenya

Gatina Washing Station sits a few kilometers outside the town of Karatina in Nyeri County. The station was built in 1968, nestled between the western slopes of Mt. Kenya and the eastern slopes of the Aberdares mountains. It is managed by Mugaga Farmers’ Cooperative Society. Today, the station receives cherry from 790 members. Of those, 280—over 30%—are women!

The 790 members of Gatina station cultivate a total of 142 hectares. This breaks down to about a tenth of a hectare—or a few hundred trees—per farmer. Such small coffee ‘gardens’ makes it possible, vital even, to focus on specialty processing and increase the value per kilogram of cherry picked. Farm labor is usually entirely provided by family members, which can often make maintaining specialty cultivation and picking practices easier. Many of the farmers also grow tea, maize and legumes to consume or sell at local markets for additional cash income. 

Region: Nyeri, Central Kenya

Variety: Batian, Ruiru 11, SL28, SL34

Altitude: 1800 - 2050 MASL

Process: Fully Washed

Bean Size: AA

Tasting Notes: Black Currant, Green Apple, Cinnamon, Jolly Rancher, and Toffee