Where in the Heck is Zimbabwe?
by Thomas Golubic

(from Ground Control Issue #1)

A land-locked country in southern Africa, Zimbabwe is nestled between Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, and the eastern tip of Nambia. Just slightly larger than Montana, the country is set upon a high plateau and is covered primarily in grassland. Although Zimbabwe does have five mid-sized cities of which Harare is the capital, about 70% of the population still live on small farms in rural areas. To the east are the Nyanga and Chimanimani mountains, where Zimbabwe's coffee beans come from. Once harvested, coffee and tobacco - (which are both grown in this mountainous region along the Mozambique border) - are transported to nearby Harare where they are prepared for export.

This region, once called Great Zimbabwe, was rumored to have been quite literally a goldmine. It received the attention of colonialists in 1890 with the appearance of British prospector Cecil Rhodes. Rhodes brought with him a group of gold-hungry English settlers who over the course of six years subdued the area and in 1897 renamed it after their leader. Little gold was found in the region, and Rhodesia became a self-governing colony in 1923, run essentially by these white settlers. This lasted until 1979, when the native population through democratic elections brought colonialism to a close. Almost three quarters of the Anglo population left after power was transferred. The country became independent and renamed itself Zimbabwe in 1981.

Zimbabwe's coffee plantations enjoy a high elevation, a moderately cool climate with ample rain, and the enriching waters of the Zabezi river. Consequently, the coffee lands of Zimbabwe produce the highest yield of coffee per acre in the world, exporting an estimated 170,000 bags of coffee annually. An interesting note is that prior to 1937, coffee farming was prohibited. It was introduced to the area during World War II and later legalized.

Because of the remoteness of the area, the coffee is hand picked and sun dried. Outside of unusual changes in the climate conditions (the Zimbabwe bean suffered from a terrible drought only a few years ago) the crop is consistently of very high quality.

The Zimbabwe bean is gray-green and a bit irregular in size. Once roasted, the bean becomes nice and plump and you'll see a golden-tan streak in the center. With a soft, clean fruity taste, the Zimbabwe bean has often been compared to Kenyan AA coffee. Lighter in acidity than its neighbor to the north, the Zimbabwe bean has a full body and a distinctive wine-like sharpness. It's a very complex coffee and more discerning palates are justly rewarded.

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