Atlas Coffee Importers

Rwanda, June-July 2004 (click thumbnails to enlarge)


Twelve hundred women at work hand-sorting the finished product from the OCIR mill.	Lunch on the way to Butare.	A student training at the Maraba washing station.

Women delivering the coffee cherries they've picked that day to the washing station.	Hand sorting for only the very ripest cherries.	The depulper--we appreciate the operators' efforts to color-coordinate with his equipment.

After leaving the depulper, the coffee travels through these channels to be sorted by density.	Kids at Maraba hamming it up for the camera--they got a huge kick seeing themselves on the digital display.	Here, the cooperative is building a new cupping lab. You might think this looks rather large to be just a cupping lab, and you would be right! The plans were drawn up in feet, but the builders assumed it was in meters...hence, a cupping lab that is 3.28 times the original intention! Hope they grow a lot of coffee there to cup!

Market day along the road to Gikongoro.	Interesting faces	More interesting faces

Drying racks at BUFCCAFE Washing Station about 5,400 feet above sea level.	Importer meets farmer as Michael discusses the attributes we look for in East African coffees.	Cupping training

A family of coffee farmers stands in front of their stock.	Charlotte Mbabazi, Manager of the Masaka Washing Station, and Kelly Peltier from Canopy Coffee	Cleaning out the tanks at the end of the harvest year.

Hand-sorting coffee on the pre-drying rack.	Coffee Cherries near Ruli.	The infamous steaming pyramid.

The Chief's hut near Ruhengeri.	Michael standing WAY too close to a gorilla.	Mama and baby gorilla (we hope Michael was using the zoom lens on this one).

Traditional meal of goat-meat, plantains, and fresh cow milk.	Waiting for the cows to cross the road.	Water buffalo on Safari in Akagera

Giraffe in Akagera	Hippos in Akagera	Hulling parchment by hand

Bourbon seedlings at Sake	To visit the washing station at Nkora, we had to take this boat across Lake Kivu. The two small outboard motors were able to get us there in about two hours.	On the return trip, we upgraded to a military gun-boat and got back in 15 minutes.

Villagers at Nkora wondering what the crazy Americans are doing with all the boats.	Sample roaster at OCIR	Cupping at OCIR

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