10
THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, February 4, 2010
PellAnd from 3 Mostly for soft drinks, spe-
Understanding Coffee
two square feet of land under coffee
be uprooted, but replanted cialized tea drinks and cultivation to fill each cup of brewed
with tea. In the passing health drinks. The market-
Labels And Symbols
coffee. An estimated 20 million rural
of years, England finally ing fight was on to capture
FAIR TRADE-focuses on the exploitative working
families depend on growing coffee as
made tea their national the young consumer. Not
conditions of the coffee farmers. The goal is to pay
their livelihood in various tropical
drink. But how did coffee until the 1990s did the
producers in developing countries enough so that
countries. Coffee must be husband-
become the hot drink of specialty coffees bring new
their lives are not dead-end, marginal struggles.
For an industry to be sustainable, it should not de-
ed, picked from the shrub, removed
choice in America? The interests and endorsement
stroy the lives of the people who actually create the
from the cherries, dried and bagged
Boston Tea Party was in- for the true coffee lovers. product. Cooperatives invest part of their Fair Trade before leaving their natural habitat.
strumental, throwing tea This new interest brought
income in social development projects that benefit
Coffee family farmers work on five
cargoes overboard fostered on new trade associations,
the local community., such as schools, health care,
acres to several thousand acres.
restoring land. Fair Trade farmers produce coffee
a lasting affection for cof- as well as scientific and
that is shade grown, bird-friendly, high quality and
They live on the plantation and the
fee consumption which health reports. Coffeehous-
organic. Fair Trade is a fundamental statement.
entire family is involved in harvest-
could be imported from es occupy their space in ing and processing the crop. Chil-
the Caribbean. Drinking the marketplace. But what
USDA/ORGANIC-all natural substances are in
dren typically forgo schooling after
tea became decidedly un- about the beany botanica?
organic production, all synthetic substances are
prohibited. No genetic engineering, ionizing radia-
receiving the minimal education, as
American at that time of Coffee is a plant, its seeds
tion in organic production and handling for coffee to
every family member is needed, from
our history. are dried, roasted, ground, carry the USDA/ORGANIC label. The importer and the youngsters to the grandparents.
Consumer tastes are in- brewed and its aroma be-
roaster must be certified organic as well. High qual-
“You earn according to what you
fluenced by marketing. comes irresistible. It takes
ity works hand in hand with sustainability. Organic
pick.” Adequate health care is gen-
coffees were originally introduced and promoted by
the cooperative natural food stores, and remain a
erally absent, but not to all planta-
popular “turn-to” provider.
tions. Small scale farmers produce
more than half of the global coffee
SHADE CULTIVATION-coffee plants cultivated in
supply. Exploitive systems still re-
the shade are organically grown . In contrast, larger
coffee farms use little or no shade, use pesticides,
main in some areas. Minimum-wage
and mechanically harvest coffee beans that yield an
laws exist in some countries, but not
inferior product. Conversion from traditional shade always honored for impoverished,
to “sun coffee” entails cutting or thinning valuable
powerless coffee laborers.
shade trees, while destroying the added income and
On large modernized farms, coffee
wildlife habitat benefits they provide. Only a small
percentage of American coffee drinkers are aware of
farmers work among fertilizers, in-
shade-grown coffee.
secticides, fungicides, nematocides
and herbicides (sometime contain-
BIRD-FRIENDLY CERTIFICATION-the Smithso-
ing carcinogenic chemicals). Lack-
nian Migratory Bird Center developed standards for
ing access to credit and geographic
labels indicating shade-grown, bird-friendly coffee
from traditional farms. A marked decline in tropi-
isolation, farmers depend on mid-
cal migratory songbirds that winter in the shaded dlemen to provide them credit at ex-
forest-like habitat of traditional coffee farms In Latin
orbitant interest rates, and to bring
America. Investigations revealed the decline was
their product to market. Farmers
linked to exchanging traditional shade plants for
full sun plants (for greater profits, yet also greater
must pay for the use of their own
use of chemicals), destroying critical habitat for
land, or be shut out from working
songbirds. their land entirely, and serving in-
stead as laborers for others.
ROASTING-produces the flavor and aroma of
the coffee beans. After the physical changes occur,
the water boils off, starches convert to sugars and
Dear Friends,
sugars caramelize. After roasting, the blending may
What is in your coffee cup? Make
take place from different origins to balance flavor
a change to a Certified Fair Trade
and strengths. Specialty roaster do theirs in small
coffee. Your good decision will help
batches guaranteeing freshness to be savored soon
after delivery of their product. This is a great advan-
your global neighbor to a better life,
tage over large producers who store their product in
while you enjoy your organic coffee
warehouses for several weeks or months. and a healthier life. Be Happy!
Senter’s Market • Center Harbor • 253-3800
Shurfine Marketplace • Conway • 447-3400
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