Chania & Oreti Estates are one of the special ingredients that we use for our ViCAFE House Blend, making this a very important visit for us. After a short drive from Nairobi, Kenya, in the direction to Thika, turning right at a fully loaded and blue Jacaranda tree, we arrived at Chania & Oreti Estates. We were very kindly welcomed by Boyce and Georgina, the owners of the farm.
Chania and Oreti are two different farms that share a border. The name Chania was given by Boyce’s great grandfather, inspired by the river ‘Chania’; which flows passed the farms. The same river along each boundary with one farm being 60 meters higher in altitude and four miles apart.
In Kikuyu legend, Cha and Nia were two sisters who always fought with one another. To instill peace, their mother decided to put one brother on each side of the river. And so, the river took their names. A special thank you to the source; Jacques Chambrillon from Belco. Oreti was derived from a beach in the South Island of New Zealand, near to the town where Boyce’s grandmother was born.
Next to the farms is Thika Girls Karibaribi, a School of Excellence; a girls boarding school built on what used to be part of Chania farmland. Boyce is currently an active member of the Board, as well as involved with Wabeni technical training Institute, built on the same property. This is a vocational training school to help community members develop practical skills.
And so our journey through the coffee estates began. Accompanied by Boyce and Jack Marrian Taylor Winch Kenya´s GM, we visited the two estates, mostly observing Grevillea trees that provide shade for the coffee plantation. Together we discussed many different topics including; the high acidity of the red soils, the invasive Lantana issues, the compost vermiculture, the test of new coffee varieties, and the benefit of having beehives as neighbors.
Some coffee plants are 60 years old, and the pruning of the trees plays an important role here. We could see the meristematic tissue, as a result of a good and proper pruning. This was one new word that we learned after spending time with Boyce.
Afterwards we visited the wet mill, with a huge capacity. We also saw the classical Hulle machinery owned by Boyce. Next to it, are the drying patios softly shaded by a coverage of Vanilla plants, which will also be carefully harvested at some stage.
Georgina, who is a school teacher, but is learning Coffee lab protocols was so kind to show us their cupping lab. It is a renovated room where we roasted some coffee samples together. A lovely space dedicated for the improvement of their business by having a better understanding of the results of their qualities, with a special emphasis on roasting. This space is also anticipated that in the future it might offer the facilities to some commercial training for learning coffee skills on site.
For us the personal contact, the constant sharing of information, and the understanding of challenges and changes that goes around a coffee plantation, harvest through harvest, is a privilege that ViCAFE treasures and endures. Transparent sourcing values with each of our Coffee Partners is in our core business.
We can only be grateful for the time shared with us, and the valuable learning together. Thank you to Chania & Oreti Estates, to Georgina and Boyce for having us, and teaching us about their generational dedicated work. A special thank you to the support from Jack Marian and Volcafe Taylor Winch Kenya during this visit. Personally I treasure family Harries greatly, allowing me to share this amazing learning experience with my children in their first visit to Kenya, it will certainly remain in our coffee hearts for a long time.
