Coffee grown in the many districts and kebeles of the Gedeo Zone is often referred to as Heirloom varieties, many of which were propagated and distributed to farmers in the last 40 years. Trees grow in red brown fertile soil under the shade of many tree species including Bibira, Cordia Africana, and the subsistence crop Ensete ventricosum. This lot of Koke Honey was sourced from a total of around 1200 small holder farmers from Birbes Kela, Koke, Konga, Wedessa, and Tisho Kebeles who bring their harvested cherries for processing at the Koke and Birbes Kele washing stations.  Honey Processing Harvested cherries are fermented in-cherry for two days prior to being pulped. The pulped coffee is then dried on raised beds to its optimal humidity.