Kiwara: Coffee Country

We took our time leaving the orphanage in Juja as we didn’t have far to ride. Thika, a town famous for its pineapple plantations, was only 10 km away. We headed to Bluepost, a prestigious hotel owned by the Uhuru Kenyatta family. The cost of a glass of milk was almost the same as a bottle of beer, but it was worth the 550 shillings we spent just be there for an hour. The hotel and restaurant overlook Chania Falls, an impressive waterfall that ends in a quiet pool and then feeds into a muddy stream. After laying in the grass reading our books, the three of us took a walk around the grounds, which was full of colorful flowers and neatly trimmed bushes. The ride to Kiawara took an hour and a half. We were entering the north central highlands, which is famous for its beauty and steep, rolling hills. This is the land of coffee, which grows in the shade of bigger and broader trees. We finally arrived to my friend Mary’s house, after walking our bicycles up hills too steep to ride even in the lowest gear. Mary lives in the U.S., but most of her family is still around.  Her Mom has a small farm with 6 cows and a coffee processing operation. Starting with the red berries plucked from the coffee trees, you can’t imagine all the steps it takes to get that cup of Joe to your breakfast table. The picture below shows the machine that not only peals the red cover off the bean, but also presorts them, the heavier beans diverted one way and the lower grade beans swept to a different place. They will be dried and then sorted again before being sent to market. Kenya is known for its coffee, but most people here do not drink it. Kenyans prefer milk tea while the high grade coffee is exported to Europe and the U.S. The only coffee I ever see is freeze dried in packets. Toto, Stefanus and I spent the evening chatting, watching TV, and playing with Kimani and Bobo, Mary’s niece and nephew. 

Stafanus and I at Bluepost. Overpriced, but beautiful. In the background is Chania Falls

My friend Mary's mom and I at her house in Kiwara

Coffee berries before they are sorted the husks removed

This machines first takes the husk to expose the coffee bean. The beans are then  graded. The heavier ones sink more in the water and are gathered in one spot. The lighter ones are siphoned of into a different chute.