Blackcurrant, blackberry, oolong tea.
Country: Kenya
Processing: Washed
Varietal:Batian, Ruiru 11, SL28
Region:Kiambu
Altitude: 1,700m
Cupping Score:88
Francis Muigai Muru has been farming coffee since 2011 when he inherited a portion of his farm. Francis takes immense pride in cultivating and processing his high-quality coffees at Fram Farm. Over time, he has purchased additional land, increasing his farm by about 40%. The farm’s name is a shortening of his name and comes from the first 3 letters of his first name “Francis” and the first letter of his last “Muru”, creating the name “Fram”.
Francis uses regenerative agriculture to ensure the farm’s long term sustainability. Shade trees grow among coffee trees, providing shade and reinvigorating the soil through nitrogen fixing and other ecosystem services. He regularly prunes his coffee trees and replants aging trees. He uses minimum tilling to protect the soil.
Francis cultivates primarily SL28, Batian and Ruiru 11 on Fram Farm. ‘SL’ varieties are cultivars originally released by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the go-to trees for many growers in Kenya due to their deep root structure, which allows them to maximize scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation. They are cultivated with a serious eye to sustainability and Good Agricultural Practices, with minimal environmental impact where possible.
