Coffee Education

COFFEE EDUCATION 101

So what's all the hype about buying Fair Trade and Organic or Shade Grown coffee? What does that even mean? And why should I consider buying it? If you've ever asked these kinds of questions, then this page is just for you! We are proud to offer a growing selection of fair trade and organic coffees here at Coffee Times.

Organic/Shade Grown Fair Trade Coffee Times' selection

Five Reasons to buy Organic/Shade grown coffee

1. It often tastes better: The shade coffee farms that produce organic coffee are the older ones, which produce fewer beans, more slowly, and with higher levels of sugars.

2. Lemurs, monkeys, and ants: Bird lovers concentrate on songbird migration as the main reason to save the forest overstory, but a great number of other endangered creatures increasingly rely on these special places to survive- everything from rare frogs, to ants, monkeys, “precious wood” types of trees, and myriad plant, animal, and insect varieties.

3. The Noah’s Ark Effect: Much of Puerto Rico’s native bird and plant species had been drastically reduced by the first quarter of the 20th century, as populations encroached upon the island’s last pristine spaces. When coffee was abandoned (due to low prices) the shade farms turned out to be important biospheres that allowed native flora and fauna to survive, and it has spread back out naturally as more stringent environmental laws were enacted.

4. You’d like to see the snows of Kilimanjaro before they are gone: Scientists tell us that global warming is having not-so-subtle impacts even laymen can see. One of the few ways we know of slowing this is with carbon sequestration, and in our industry, the only significant thing we can do is to save and plant shade trees.

5. Human health and welfare: Unlike technified farms, which are plied with large amounts of chemical inputs, and increasingly tended with mechanical equipment- shade coffee inevitably requires hand tending and uses far less (if any!) in the way of petrochemicals.

What is Fair Trade Coffee?

Fair trade is an innovative, market-based approach to sustainable development. Fair Trade helps family farmers in developing countries to gain direct access to international markets, as well as to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace. By learning how to market their own harvests, Fair Trade farmers are able to bootstrap their own businesses and receive a fair price for their products. This leads to higher family living standards, thriving communities, and more sustainable farming practices. Fair Trade empowers farming families to take care of themselves, without developing dependency on foreign aid.

The Fair Trade Certified label guarantees:

A fair price
The Fair Trade Certified label guarantees that farmers and workers received a fair price for their product. The Fair Trade price means that farmers can feed their families and that their children can go to school instead of working in the fields.

Quality products
By receiving a fair price, Fair Trade producers can avoid cost-cutting practices that sacrifice quality. The Fair Trade producers’ traditional artisanal farming methods result in exceptional products.

Care for the environment
Most Fair Trade Certified coffee, tea, and chocolate in the US is certified organic and shade grown. This means that the products you buy maintain bio diversity, provide shelter for migratory birds, and help reduce global warming.

Fair Trade/Organic Offerings at Coffee Times:

Colombian Excelso
Guatemalan
Sumatra (also available in decafe)
Peruvian
Papua New Guinea
Fair Trade Organic Blend


	COFFEE EDUCATION 101 So what's all the hype about buying Fair Trade and Organic or Shade Grown coffee? What does that even mean? And why should I consider buying it? If you've ever asked these kinds of questions, then this page is just for you! We are proud to offer a growing selection of fair trade and organic coffees here at Coffee Times. Organic/Shade Grown Fair Trade Coffee Times' selection Five Reasons to buy Organic/Shade grown coffee 1. It often tastes better: The shade coffee farms that produce organic coffee are the older ones, which produce fewer beans, more slowly, and with higher levels of sugars. 2. Lemurs, monkeys, and ants: Bird lovers concentrate on songbird migration as the main reason to save the forest overstory, but a great number of other endangered creatures increasingly rely on these special places to survive- everything from rare frogs, to ants, monkeys, “precious wood” types of trees, and myriad plant, animal, and insect varieties. 3. The Noah’s Ark Effect: Much of Puerto Rico’s native bird and plant species had been drastically reduced by the first quarter of the 20th century, as populations encroached upon the island’s last pristine spaces. When coffee was abandoned (due to low prices) the shade farms turned out to be important biospheres that allowed native flora and fauna to survive, and it has spread back out naturally as more stringent environmental laws were enacted. 4. You’d like to see the snows of Kilimanjaro before they are gone: Scientists tell us that global warming is having not-so-subtle impacts even laymen can see. One of the few ways we know of slowing this is with carbon sequestration, and in our industry, the only significant thing we can do is to save and plant shade trees. 5. Human health and welfare: Unlike technified farms, which are plied with large amounts of chemical inputs, and increasingly tended with mechanical equipment- shade coffee inevitably requires hand tending and uses far less (if any!) in the way of petrochemicals. What is Fair Trade Coffee? Fair trade is an innovative, market-based approach to sustainable development. Fair Trade helps family farmers in developing countries to gain direct access to international markets, as well as to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace. By learning how to market their own harvests, Fair Trade farmers are able to bootstrap their own businesses and receive a fair price for their products. This leads to higher family living standards, thriving communities, and more sustainable farming practices. Fair Trade empowers farming families to take care of themselves, without developing dependency on foreign aid. The Fair Trade Certified label guarantees: A fair price The Fair Trade Certified label guarantees that farmers and workers received a fair price for their product. The Fair Trade price means that farmers can feed their families and that their children can go to school instead of working in the fields. Quality products By receiving a fair price, Fair Trade producers can avoid cost-cutting practices that sacrifice quality. The Fair Trade producers’ traditional artisanal farming methods result in exceptional products. Care for the environment Most Fair Trade Certified coffee, tea, and chocolate in the US is certified organic and shade grown. This means that the products you buy maintain bio diversity, provide shelter for migratory birds, and help reduce global warming. Fair Trade/Organic Offerings at Coffee Times: Colombian Excelso Guatemalan Sumatra (also available in decafe) Peruvian Papua New Guinea Fair Trade Organic Blend Coffee : Country of Origin : Specialty : Roasts : Flavors : Exclusive Blends : One Potters ©2008 Coffee Times Coffee House, Inc. All Rights Reserved.