Ou Yang Farm is named after the owner himself, Mr. Ou, and is located in Jiangcheng Hani and Yi Autonomous County in southern Yunnan, right on China's border with Vietnam and Laos. The Ou Yang farm is spread over 78 hectares, of a size that provides significant employment for the diverse ethnic groups within the local area. Twenty people work full time and seasonal work is available throughout the year to help support extended families and networks.
Mr. Ou has successfully developed his own processing techniques, experimenting with fermentation, drying stages and timing. The cherries are hand-picked and then bagged for 2-3 days, accelerating the chemical reactions that help break down the mucilage, before being spread out to dry in the sun. At 40% humidity, the coffees are bagged again for a further 4-5 days. After the second fermentation, the coffee is spread out on raised drying beds in a parabolic dryer for a further 28 days. This technique is known as 'double fermentation' and requires very careful control due to the high risks of over-fermentation and mould.
Image by @yunnancoffeetraders
It's so interesting to know the history behind our coffees, isn't it?
