This is our first year working with coffee from the extremely remote Bumba Hill, and it is the only selection we made from the Ninga washing station this year. In the cup, we find dried apricots, baking spice, and Earl Gray.
Field Blend
Kayanza
1,800 masl
June, 2023
Hand-picked at peak ripeness. Floated and hand sorted to further remove defects; depulped on the day of harvest. Double-fermented dry for 12 hours, then 24 hours submerged in water. Rinsed in fresh water. Density graded. Dried on traditional African raised beds for 16-20 days until moisture content reaches 10.5%.
ABOUT BUMBA HILL
Bumba Hill is easily the most remote site we work with in Burundi. One must cross over three rivers and two provincial borders to reach this hill. The farming communities that call Bumba home are far beyond thereach of clean drinking water and electricity. Coffee is the most important crop grown on the hill, closely competing with staples such as corn and beans. Near the center of the hill is the local market, where people sell baskets full of freshly harvested crops and trade other household essentials.
ABOUT THIS FIELD BLEND
Varieties in Burundi are not exactly straightforward. We know that Red Bourbon and Mibirizi are being cultivated; however, we don't know at what relative percentages. Based on the history of production in Burundi there is also most likely some SL34 being grown as well.
ABOUT LONG MILES COFFEE PROJECT
The Long Miles Coffee Project is the dream-become-reality of Ben and Kristy Carlson. The pair moved to Burundi in 2011 with a simple dream: Help coffee growers by helping roasters source consistently high quality coffees from Burundi. Their dream has grown from working with fifty coffee growers in 2013 to working with more than 5,500 at present. Long Miles has been extremely effective in helping to actualize Burundi’s natural potential for extremely high quality coffee, while also making an incredible impact socially, economically, and environmentally. Coffees from this project are some of our most anticipated of the year, and we are humbled and honored continue supporting their inspiring work.
Pricing Details
Farm Gate (Local; Cherry)
1,380 BIF/KG
Farm Gate (USD; Green)
~$5.45/KG
FOB
$10.63/KG
FOT
$13.21/KG
The cost of getting a coffee from cherry to beverage varies enormously depending on its place of origin and the location of its consumption. The inclusion of price transparency is a starting point to inform broader conversation around the true costs of production and the sustainability of specialty coffee as a whole.