Skip to Content Skip to Navigation
SM Home/News/Library/Weblog/Forum/Cart/Login
SM Library » Foto
Ethiopia in Frosty January.
Okay, so it wasn't frosty, but the nights were a little chilly, I swear. I am uploading some not-so-recent travelogues to the the world wide interweb, and realized this trip to Western Ethiopia from January 2011 had some amusing images. I have made quite a few trips out there since but this was the first time I landed in the farther reaches of Illubabor, as well as covering Jimma pretty well. There is a lot of promise for wet-processed coffee in the West, which was traditionally sold as low grade, undifferentiated dry-process coffee. With the new work we are doing there, farmers are receiving premiums far beyond what they ever could get for natural coffees of a commercial level, and much of this is based on the fantastic work of Technoserve to provide business advice, agricultural assistance, and market support to these cooperatives. -Tom
Momina, in charge of warehouse at Baro Cooperative
Momina, in charge of warehouse at Baro Cooperative

I wish we had a warehouse manager like her, sigh.

Near Baro Town
Near Baro Town

Just hanging out on wrecked construction equipment. It's kinda a "thing" I'm into... at origin....

At Sota -Mergia Beyene,  Bedele Area Cooperative
At Sota -Mergia Beyene, Bedele Area Cooperative

Mergia, charm and grace in one package!

Sota Cooperative
Sota Cooperative

Chicken wire, rake, emptiness. So sad. Where's the coffee?

On way to Hana Bosoke
On way to Hana Bosoke

Government forest, government pines, official stuff.

Hana Bosoke
Hana Bosoke
BFF: Aleco and Mergia Beyene at Hana Bosoke
BFF: Aleco and Mergia Beyene at Hana Bosoke

Some serious love going on there...

Bedele Brewery
Bedele Brewery

We had to stop at the world-famous Bedele brewery, and see the fantasic mural of the drunk...

Bedele Brewery Cheerleaders
Bedele Brewery Cheerleaders

Definitely makes me want a cold Bedele beer. How about you?

Tibs at Bedele Brewery
Tibs at Bedele Brewery

You don't even know how difficult it is to say "Tibs" with the correct pronunciation. You could...

Ripeness factors at Haro Sana
Ripeness factors at Haro Sana

X means No....

Abdo Tahir, the business advisor for Haro Sana
Abdo Tahir, the business advisor for Haro Sana

A downright cheery guy. But the cooperative is a bit of a mess...

Honey Coffee in Djimma Ethiopia
Honey Coffee in Djimma Ethiopia
Fou in  in Djimma Ethiopia
Fou in in Djimma Ethiopia

Fou knocks your socks off. Definitely filling stuff though...

Choche Coffee Research
Choche Coffee Research

It's the birthplace of coffee, and don't you say it isn't!

  • ‹‹
  • 2 of 3
  • ››