Admasu Duke

Admasu inherited the land from his parents, and has been growing coffee for the last seven years. Like many Ethiopian smallholder farmers, he uses organic farming practices that rely heavily on the manual labour of him and his family.

Admasu Duke comes from a lineage of coffee farmers. He inherited his farm from his father in 2000 and has been focused on high-quality production ever since. Today, Admasu and his five brothers continue the family tradition of quality-oriented cultivation and each tend to their own inherited plots. On the farm, as in life, Admasu works alongside his wife, Mihret Alemu.

Looking ahead, Admasu envisions an ambitious future for his farm. His plans revolve around maximizing yield and direct trade, with a focus on expanding the size of his farm and planting more coffee varieties. By increasing the scale of his operations and diversifying the coffee varieties he cultivates, Admasu aims to enhance the productivity and versatility of his farm. This forward-thinking approach demonstrates his entrepreneurial spirit and his determination to continually improve and adapt to meet the demands of the coffee industry.

Admasu’s vision for the future of his farm reflects his unwavering dedication to his craft and his commitment to providing exceptional coffee. With his sustainable practices, generational expertise, and bold aspirations, Admasu is poised to carve a path of success and growth for his farm, ensuring a prosperous future for himself and the generations to come.

Cultivation

Admasu understands the importance of nurturing the land for future generations and embraces sustainable agricultural methods as a way to achieve this goal. Admasu takes great pride in maintaining an organic farming approach and using no fertilizers or pesticides on his land. As part of his regenerative farming practices, Admasu actively engages in activities including mulching, pruning, composting and planting shade trees. These practices, honed through participation in the Lalissa Farmer Field School, contribute to the overall health and resilience of his farm ecosystem.

Harvest & Post-Harvest

Since the farm is small, most work is done by Admasu and Mihret. During the harvest, they hire seasonal laborers from the local community to help with selective handpicking. They process cherry on their farm. After selective handpicking, they lay ripe, red cherry on raised beds to dry. They rake cherry frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 3 to 4 weeks for cherry to dry.