Making a Difference in Coffeelands

Coffee is one of the world’s highest traded commodities, actually it is second only to oil. Yikes! You won't by gas from certain stations, but you'll by a latté from McDonald's?  You're buying organic foods and you're trying to shop local, yet when it comes to your coffee beans you settle for Fair Trade? What's wrong with this picture?

Knowledge is power. Especially in a society of immediacy, man-made plastics and pesticides, knowledge of the item you are shopping for can help change the world. That being said, the first bit of info I would like to give you is the difference between Fair Trade and Direct Trade. This can be applied to more than just coffee beans. Tea should also be purchased direct trade, for example.

• Fair Trade is a trademarked name of a certification that middlemen use to let you know that the beans they purchase meet certain criteria in both quality and economics. Although, after much research, I'm unsure of whose idea of quality and economics TransFairUSA is going by. Unfortunately, not many coffee farmers can get this certification due to the cost involved. It actually costs money on both sides, the grower and the roasters/retailers must pay yearly licensing fees. Fair trade leaves out some of the world's best coffee by not allowing small growers with unstructured farms to obtain the FT certification. So, as it turns out, Fair Trade is actually hurting the people it was originally intended to help. Also, contrary to popular belief, buying fair trade does not mean you are buying organic!
• Direct Trade is a term for coffee and teas that are imported directly from the farmers themselves, not  brokered in bulk at auction. There are no middlemen. Retailers/roasters in direct trade agreements have, get this, REAL RELATIONSHIPS with their growers! I know it sounds crazy. Individuals can now negotiate their own prices. Direct Trade is better for all involved. A roaster buying from smaller growers can personally vouch for the coffee's quality and growing and labor ethics used on the farm. Kind of sounds like social consciousness, doesn't it?

You now have the power to make your next $5 coffee order matter. While Direct Trade hasn't caught on everywhere, some shops are starting to take their role in the global economy seriously. Being a coffee connoisseur myself I have found a handful of places that I enjoy supporting. These are shops that are serving more than just a tasty macchiato. They are serving their communities and the communities of those less fortunate. 

Safehouse Coffee & Tea is located at 109 South Hill Street in Griffin, Georgia. They buy direct trade and roast the beans themselves! It is not only a great place to drink tea and coffee, thanks to their knowledgeable staff, it's also a great place to learn about tea and coffee! They write a blog called dirtycup, which I hear is the second most read coffee related blog. The blog is very informative and entertaining. Lots of good home brewing tips, too. So check it out!
The fine folks at Safehouse are preparing to head down to Honduras in February. There they will begin filming a documentary that will bring to light problems that coffee growing countries are facing, the struggles of the farmers and how small businesses can help. For more info about the documentary or to learn how you can help them in their venture, go to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1405419560/coffeeland-honduras-a-documentary.

so much more than just a pretty pour

their heart for the world

the menu....a macchiato, a latté and a cappuccino

On a personal note, Safehouse is my favorite coffeeshop. Comfortable and not complicated. I love a place where I can order a macchiato without having to follow it with instructions on what a macchiato is. (Sorry, Starbucks lovers, but a sugar laden vanilla latte with whipped cream and caramel sauce is NOT a macchiato.) Unfortunately for me, Safehouse is a 4 hour drive from my house. While it is worth every mile, for my readers with me in North Carolina here are a few places to find direct trade coffee a little closer to home. 

The Grove Church is located at 1127 Franklin Grove Road in Bryson City, North Carolina. Every Sunday morning guests at The Grove are treated to great music and free direct trade coffee from a coffee farmer in Guatemala named Andres. These roasted coffee beans are also available for purchase in one pound bags.  In January, The Grove will make their second trip to Guatemala with Andres as a guide. While there, they will build houses for widows and try to find ways of getting clean water to these remote villages. This church is making a difference in more ways than one! Check 'em out on the web The Grove Church and on Facebook.
 

As I have mentioned, Direct Trade is still catching on. Hopefully more and more places will start to realize the importance of this decision. Here is a short list of a couple shops in Western North Carolina that are starting to use more Direct Trade products......just make sure to ask before you order!


Panacea Coffee Company 66 Commerce St. Waynesville, NC 28786  (828) 452-6200  Some of their brews are direct trade and they do their own roasting.

Izzy's Coffee Den 74 Lexington Ave Asheville, NC 828.258.2004  They proudly serve Counter Culture Coffee.  Direct trade and delicious.

       

 Remember it's your dollar, make it worth it, for you and for the world.

My sis and my hubby at Safehouse!

ode to aging

childhood livin'
was easy to do
but has been hard to hold onto
and gettin' back on the bike ain't as easy as it use to be
which leads to the bitterness of old age
and you can't teach an old dog new tricks
at least that's what they say
and no matter how old i get
i still dont know who they are
or why they have so much to say
listening gets harder when your hearing starts to go
and my attention span grows shorter with the days
that are growing shorter as i grow older
and the memories of childhood living
are harder to hold onto when the memory starts to fail
another day passes by with the same sunrise and sunset
and even though i've been around for 11,233 of those
they never get old
unlike me

 

liz nance copyright 2010