Bekele Kachara has been growing coffee for the past 20 years in the Bensa area of Sidama.  His 3 hectare Hamasho Farm is one of two he owns and operates.  With his wealth of experience, Bekele is an enthusiastic producer who excels in all areas of coffee production.  He fertilizes his farm with compost or agricultural residues; so, though the coffees aren’t certified organic (the cost for the certification process is prohibitive for small growers), his coffee is grown using organic methods.

Bekele and his wife have 13 children, three who are adopted and four who are directly involved in all parts of their family’s coffee production.  As a single farm lot producer, if fortunate enough to visit his farms, you’d most likely find him checking on some aspect of the coffee harvest, usually wearing a baseball hat and a ready smile.