Expedition to Kenya
Early this year, I visited my family’s coffee farm in Nairobi, and it was a journey with many surprises. From the moment I first reached Kenya, I was surprised by the very red soil, since I hadn’t seen anything like it before. As a settled in, I found the the people were friendly and welcoming, including the Masai tribe who embraced me with their culture. Most importantly, the Kenyan coffee was outstanding!
I enjoyed the opportunity to meet with the Masai tribe.
There are many coffee farmers in Kenya who own farms that have been passed through the generations, dating back to the British Empire, and I looked forward to exploring the farmlands. My friend Simon had arranged for me to visit a farmer in Kiambu, a short trip from Nairobi.
The 45-minute drive through the countryside was absolutely beautiful, and I saw many varieties of corn, wheat, and, of course, coffee. But I had never seen that many types of coffee! The elevation raised quickly, and I could feel my lungs struggling for oxygen. As I got closer to Kiambu and the elevation topped off, I eventually adapted to the change in air pressure. Kiambu’s highest elevation is 5,643 ft (1720 m), or roughly one mile up in the air. I can’t imagine how farmers do such hard work in those conditions, and I admire and respect them for it.
Women are the backbone of Kenya’s coffee production.
Declan’s brother admires some of their freshly packed beans.
After arriving in Kiambu, the aroma of coffee led me to a house, owned by the farmer who was expecting me. He introduced himself as Declan and we spoke about the history of his farm. He told me his father was a headmaster at a Catholic school and said, “Starting in 1959, each month, my father would receive a salary, and each month he would purchase a plot of land. My father hired workers to cut down the trees and replace them with coffee trees.” Declan has been helping his father since he was 8 years old, and now he’s 50.
He told me that despite the urbanization of Kiambu and Nairobi, he will never sell his farm, saying, “without coffee, there is no happiness.”
I couldn’t agree with Declan more.
Declan was a kind and welcoming host.
This trip had another surprise for me. I found out the Kenyan coffee business can sometimes be a dangerous one, as criminals tend to hide in the countryside, where crops like coffee are produced. During my visit, on 15 January, there was a terrorist attack at the DusitD2 Hotel complex in Nairobi, and I found out that the attacker’s safe house was in Kiambu, right near Declan’s farm where I was visiting.
There can clearly be challenges in bringing certain coffees to our customers, but I feel strongly about supporting farmers like Declan, who care about the land and their coffee. I’m willing to take risks like the one that led me to meet Declan and his family, all so I can provide a cup of happiness to as many people as possible.
- Manveer Singh