Papua New Guinea Yha Hauka
Yha Hauka is located in one of the most rugged and mountainous regions in New Guinea. The coffee is grown near the villages of Aseki and Menyamya, located in the Morobe District. Aseki and Menyamya are reachable only by a seven hour 4-wheel drive excursion from Lae or by small plane. From the main road to Lae (the capital and port), there are few feeder roads, which are closed almost six months out of the year due to heavy rains.
These villages have been using sustainable farming methods since inception 25 years ago. Coffee is the only source of revenue for the people in this region and is grown by individual families on small coffee blocks of three to four thousand trees each. The coffee is usually transported to the processing plant by foot, on the heads of the producing families. Sometimes the journey can take up to a full day. Upon selling their coffee at the mill, the families then buy essential supplies like salt, sugar and clothes from the village stores before returning home. This system has changed very little over the past 20-30 years. Traditional farming is a natural choice in Morobe, where food has a priority over fertilizers and chemicals. Where villagers are too far off, mini airstrips are made and small planes service these areas, bringing their coffee and carrying out their store goods.
Shade canopies are an essential element to organic farming in Papua New Guinea. Shade trees are often a secondary crop for the farmer, for example bananas or papaya. They also grow vegetables as a ground cover to stop weed growth, supply them with food and to act as a natural fertilizer.
Altitude: 4500-600 feet
Variety: Bourbon, Mundo Novo, Arusha, AA & AX
Processing Method: Washed
Grade: Strictly Hard Bean
Species: Arabica
Harvest: June to September
Cup Characteristics: wild floral aroma, smoke, cedar and coriander spices throughout, chocolaty, spicy piquant acidity and smooth body
