TJ is the Marketing Director for Camano Island Coffee Roasters. TJ is a wannabe coffee snob, who enjoys writing and photographing coffee, reading books, watching movies with his wife, and hiking with his dogs.
In the rural hills of Northwestern Honduras, generational change has become a reality for the Agros villagers. The town of Bella Vista is an evolving success story, bringing prosperity to its people through transformational coffee purchasing. Although this region has experienced hardship, fathers and mothers no longer worry about their children’s future.
Bella Vista, A Community Of Hope
In 2013 alone, 31 families harvested 28,700 pounds of coffee! These villagers have transformed this rural area. In the past, Bella Vista experienced little job growth, unavailable natural resources and limited education. An area once hit by terrible droughts, killing livestock and causing water shortages, now has access to water. With the help of Agros volunteers, 12 water troughs have been placed in the area and livestock have become healthy. Parents can send their sons and daughters to grade school and college. Land ownership, once a dream for most, now is a reality in the Bella Vista community.
Luis & Hilaria Pineda’s Story
If you can imagine traveling 2 hours a day by foot, from a nearby town in hopes to earn a better life, you have imagined yourself in Luis Pineda’s shoes. For over two years he made that tiring journey, while participating in workshop activities and learning to cultivate the land. During this time, he worked as a day laborer growing grain crops in his hometown. He could only rent the property, however, with no opportunity to own. Then Agros arrived and gave him the tools to change everything.
He and his wife Hilaria moved with their two sons, Jose Luis and Nelson, to Bella Vista. He signed a bank loan through Agros and started cultivating his land. As of 2013 he owns 1.72 acres of coffee production and an additional 1.72 acres in corn production. Both commodities are in high demand and his land is prospering greatly. Luis and Hilaria also own a cow now as part of their estate. The years of hard work have begun to pay off and change their lives forever.
Through repaying his credit loan to Agros, Luis and Hilaria are on the direct path of becoming first generation landowners. Luis shares his gratitude, “I am happy because I have my house, my land to work and all the opportunities Agros offers us. Many thanks!” With a little opportunity and hard work Luis has been able to change his family’s fortunes.
Looking To The Future
Luis and Hilaria no longer worry about their children’s future. “Our dream is to pay the land, so that our kids can later inherit it. It will be their most precious treasure,” said Luis.
And it’s not just their children who are reaping the benefits of Luis and Hilaria’s hard work. During these last couple years, Luis has become a model of perseverance in the Bella Vista community. “Luis is a leader who has earned the respect of colleagues for his humility and sincerity,” said Esmel, the president of the community.
Luis and Hilaria are just one example of 31 families in Bella Vista whose lives have been changed forever, thanks to coffee lovers like you who choose to support Agros with your coffee purchase.
Here I am standing at 8,000 feet above sea level as I’m struggling to catch my breathe after a long hike through this lush and green countryside. Insects are buzzing around my head and I’m ready for lunch. Finally we stumble upon this peak in the Ixil region of Guatemala — the region where our farmers live. The farmers you’ve had a hand in helping. When I see their faces, I’m overwhelmed. The bugs, long hike, and altitude sickness are all worth it to see the change that’s been made in these farmer’s lives — all from a cup of coffee.
The People
The people in the Ixil Region are quite possibly the most humble and resilient people I have ever met. They are so thankful for things that Americans would consider as “the basics”. Clean running water, a sturdy roof over their heads, a school for their children, and a sustainable job, are just a few reasons why they are thankful to be a part of Agros. Land ownership, I would say, is the most important to them.
Their land means everything to them and because the opportunity to own land has become a reality, these farmers have made headway in creating generational change.
One of the world’s worst civil wars in human history took place in this very region just a few decades ago. From the late 1970s to the early 1980s, militias infiltrated the Ixil Region, massacring thousands. Now, those relatives who have survived rally in their amazing human spirit and have learned to carry on. They no longer have to worry about armies coming in and stealing their land. There has been an increase of access to natural resources such as clean running water and road development. Education is beginning to flourish and sustainability has settled in. The children of these relatives will never have to experience what their parents or grandparents endured, thanks to Agros.
The Goat Initiative
You might be wondering, what on earth is a Goat Initiative? I am excited to share with you, that along with coffee farmers sustaining themselves, another means of income has taken place in the Ixil Region. Goats are an incredible resource for milk, cheese, and yogurt production. Their milk is very nutritious and easy on our bodies to digest. Unlike cows, goats also do not compete with the food supply and are much easier on the land. A woman in her 60’s got an amazing idea that has transformed the lives of many others. She realized, that goats have an incredible amount of wealth in their abilities to produce a variety of necessities. When she had 14 goats herself, she knew that was all she needed to sustain for her family. With her goats, she was able to produce goat milk and sell it to families in need with infants needing nutritious milk. With this knowledge, she decided to start a goat raising operation. She then helped organize and collaborate with other organizations, such as USAID, Heifer International, Save the Children, Zero Hunger and Agros, to build a sprawling facility with multiple buildings just for goats! From breeding and raising, to production operations of milk, cheese and yogurt, villagers are now able to sustain themselves by the means of goats! The wealth that will come from this operation will last years, even generations. Another amazing aspect of this operation, are the graduating kids of the school system now beginning to run the operation. Generational change has broken the path of destruction and tragedy, filling this region with hope and means of sustainability.
Maria, the Seed of Greatness
Some people are meant to achieve greatness rather than skate through life doing the bare minimum. Maria, a 21 year old woman of the Agros village, is one I like to call the ‘Seed of Greatness’. Maria was introduced to Agros when she was about 5 years old. From there, she and her family were able to access natural resources, start working and send her to school. Her teachers told her she could be different. She didn’t have to get married right away and start having a family. She could be a role model for other girls, by going to college, taking it seriously, and starting a career.
At just 21 years old, Maria has done that. She earned herself a scholarship through Agros to go to college and recently graduated. She is now a director for an entire school. Guatemalan women primarily stayed in the home and many started having children as young as 12 years old. Maria did something that no other woman in this area of the Ixil Region had done before. She takes time in her days at the school to sit down with the kids and tell them her story. She reiterates constantly how she was able to break the mold and be different. I told Maria, during an emotional private conversation, “You don’t know how important you are. You are a mirror for other girls. They look at you and see what they could become.” If it weren’t for an Agros worker who worked with her family, she would be living like many others. There is no doubt in my mind that Maria, is in fact a Seed of Greatness.
Land, Hope, Life
During my stay in Guatemala, I learned so much about how the human spirit can endure and the hope it can bring. The Guatemalan Agros villagers are so proud and humble of what may seem basic to the average American. They are not materialistic, nor do they want pity. They want to be heard, and be pulled out from the shadows of poverty. I’ve said this before, poverty makes one invisible. Once you are out of the shadows, learn to sustain yourself and buy your land, there is no stopping what you can do. Young girls like Maria are mirrors of excellence for other young girls to not just dream, but follow her path. These children who are graduating from Agros schools are paving the way for more generational change and hope. The land, so near and dear to the villagers hearts, is a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Agros and people like you, the coffee lover member, have made this a reality for many villagers.
Returning Home
Leaving Guatemala, I felt inspired by the farmers who have overcome such hardship and heartache. Their perseverance and dedication to become sustainable members of their villages is an amazing feat. Maria is just one example of the opportunities now available to all Agros children. Land ownership is becoming a reality for those who never thought their dreams would come true. The Agros farmers growing Guatemala coffee have become a success story in a region where it was thought to be impossible. Thanks to coffee lovers like you buying ethical coffee, generational change has occurred and will continue for years to come.
A Note From Jeff: Teaching Ethical Business Practices in India
At the beginning of May, I had the opportunity to travel to Indore, India for two weeks to teach at Acropolis University. I had the opportunity to teach the principles of social entrepreneurship, sustainability, ethical business practices and a principle I consider to be the most important in all of business.
This principle is simply:
Finding Purpose in What You Do.
Life is a bucket, and we’re only one drop of many. I have always maintained the belief that we are not just a coffee company. Rather, we’re an ‘Opportunity Business’ for our farmers. This is how Camano Island Coffee Roasters is ‘Finding Purpose in What We Do’.
In Finding Purpose, What can YOU Do: The Triple Bottom Line.
Well, while teaching some of India’s finest students, I explained my blueprint for “Finding Purpose in What You Do”, with what I like to call the Triple Bottom Line:
1) Do good for the environment
2) Be good to the people around you
3) Do good business in creating profit
The Triple Bottom Line is my blueprint for “Finding Purpose in What You Do”. But what I found to be one of the most gratifying out of my trip was how these students already practice The Triple Bottom Line without even realizing it!
The Indian students I taught were a median age of 25, and they believed wholeheartedly that they are in fact the new generation of change. This generation will eliminate India’s notorious Caste system. Even though their grandparents believed in it, and their parents put up with it, this generation will no longer tolerate it. Instead, they want equal chances and will not strive for anything less. Truly, this generation lives for ethical business practices.
I’m teaching ethical business practices to these incredible students.
coffee
What I love most about traveling and learning about different cultures, is the amazing entrepreneurial spirit these folks have. There’s a horizon of entrepreneurs that bleeds into the system, spreading innovation, new ideas and bringing about ethical business practices.
They honestly believe they are a middle class country and they will continue to improve even though ‘statistics’ of India say otherwise. I have had the privilege to travel to 40 countries and I have found an amazing common belief everywhere I go: young people are more in touch with the truth than any generation. They refuse to live for themselves as much as an older generation may. They would rather become part of something bigger and level the playing field through ethical business practices.
Even, after many decades of top down leadership, innovation is embraced greatly in India. Seeing these students excited about doing ethical business and becoming a part of something much bigger than themselves just fired me up. I believe, there is no such thing as a limited resource but rather limited thinking. These students do not — by any means — have limited thinking.
Camano Island Coffee Roasters — Finding Purpose in What We Do By Living Ethical Business Practices.
Ethical business practices transcends into what we believe here at Camano Island Coffee Roasters. We do not give handouts to help the poor, but rather walk with the poor. Doing the simple act of drinking a cup of our coffee, is directly helping 24,000 farmers worldwide.
By doing this, we give them life changing education and opportunities to sustain themselves which leads to generational change. Poverty makes you invisible, however, as a loyal coffee drinker, you help bring out those in the shadows of poverty.
Let’s face it, our farmers deserve nothing but fairness, the opportunity to break the generational barriers, and the ability to sustain themselves.
Camano Island Coffee — with you, the coffee lover as our partner — gives them this opportunity to better their lives and their children’s lives forever.
I may be back home on my beautiful island of Camano, but I feel as if a piece of my heart was left in India. I wish from the bottom of my heart, the very best for my Indian students and hope that they can become the new generation of entrepreneurial change, prosperity and integrity.
Coffee is a beverage enjoyed by more than half the population, and there have been various opinions about whether or not it is healthy or harmful. The truth is the type of coffee you drink determines its value to your health.
Health Benefits of Organic Coffee Beans
Research reveals that organic coffee beans provide important antioxidants that reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer. Recent studies have also found that caffeine helps preserve both short and long term memory by increasing the size of the hippocampus. This not only helps you remember details of your recent past, but it can reduce the chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to preventing Alzheimer’s disease, coffee can also help prevent Parkinson’s disease. Research shows by just drinking two to three cups of coffee each day coffee can help prevent Parkinson’s disease.
Coffee also helps with pain relief. If you have a headache or some other discomfort drinking a cup of coffee can help with pain relief. Why? Caffeine is actually a natural pain reliever. In fact many pain medications contain caffeine.
All of this information sounds as if drinking a cup or two of coffee each day is a good thing. And, it is, if you’re drinking natural organic coffee.
Is Coffee Bad?
As with so many agricultural products, the cultivation and production of conventional coffee adds a variety of dangerous chemicals. As an example let’s look at flavored coffee — hazelnut, vanilla, raspberry, etc. The process used to infuse the coffee with these flavors involves the use of Propylene Glycol, a harmful ingredient used in antifreeze. In fact, during production, the factory workers have to use hazmat suits!
One of the reasons why conventional coffee is flavored is because it’s stale. Grocery store coffee is typically at least three to twelve months old before you even buy it. Stale coffee — just like stale bread — just doesn’t taste very good. One way to make the coffee taste better is to add flavoring to it, covering up the stale coffee taste.
Why Organic Coffee?
The best way to avoid the unhealthful pitfalls of drinking commercially grown and sold coffee is to purchase only USDA Certified Organic Coffee beans that have been roasted no more than eight weeks previously. Truly fresh coffee tastes great naturally and does not contain any of the harmful pesticides and chemicals found in coffee grown on commercial plantations. Organic, shade-grown coffee grows at a slower rate so is naturally lower in acid and caffeine. The slower growth rate of shade-grown coffee allows the beans to develop a naturally superior flavor to coffee beans grown in the sun. Organic coffee just tastes better!
By Dan Ericson
Why Wait? Grab a pound of organic, healthy coffee for yourself by clicking the button below and put it to the test!
If you answered yes, then you’re one of millions that can answer the very same way.
Every few years, a new coffee brewing method emerges from no-where to become the latest craze. From Pod espresso machines to Aeropress — the coffee industry continues to find new and creative ways to brew our favorite beverage. For the most part, the traditional methods will be around for years to come, but every so often, a new contender joins the ranks…
I’ve assembled a bullet-point Pro’s and Con’s list to answer these questions:
Pro’s:
Super Fast
Incredibly Easy Cleanup
Small portions – well, assuming that’s a positive for you. It really isn’t for me! 😉
Con’s:
Huge Environmental Impact*
Atrociously Expensive*
Small portions — again, why?! 😉
Other than those reasons, it’s just a drip coffee brewer.
*Did you notice the stars in the “Con’s” section?
You see, the problem with Keurig Coffee Brewers is not the brewer itself — it’s the K-cups. At the time of this posting, Amazon.com (who typically has the lowest prices for K-cups) was selling Folger’s brand Colombian for $44.99. That’s for 80 K-cups. Each K-cup contains 0.31 ounces of coffee. That’s a grand total of 1lb, 9.3oz of coffee. That is expensive coffee.
Yup, that’s less than 2lbs. of really low grade coffee for $45.00.
The second problem with K-cups are the environmental impact. Take a lot at this article to learn more.
So, in summary . . .
The Keurig coffee maker is an easy way to make a single cup of drip coffee. The actual K-cups, however, are expensive and horrible for the environment.
The best way to enjoy the Keurig coffee brewer is to use a refillable filter like Solofill. You get the convenience at a fraction of the price. Not to mention — you can use freshly roasted Top 1% grade coffee instead of low quality coffee that’s bulk-roasted, and stored on a shelf for a long, long time!
Save yourself from stale, overpriced coffee, gain the convenience of the Keurig single serve machine and enjoy the Top 1% grade of coffee from Camano Island Coffee with the Solofill reusable filter.
Use the Solofill K-Cup insert and save over 50% off the price of K-cups filled with low quality, stale coffee grounds. Not only is the Solofill cheaper, it will also produce a better cup of coffee when used with freshly-roasted coffee — like Camano Island Coffee of course. 😉
Also, you don’t have to feel guilty about using your Keurig anymore. Solofill eliminates the negative environmental impact of K-cup’s, while still providing convenience! Get a Solofill and purchase a coffee lover’s box!
While we don’t condone the over-roasting of coffee as many other coffee companies approach their darker roasts, we’re in full support of a delicious, tasty dark roast. Especially when that roast brings in balance the darker tones of roasting with the nuances of the coffee bean we’re roasting.
Whenever we hear: “I want your darkest roast!” or “I like my coffee dark and rich,” there is only really one immediate conclusion – Sumatra Dark Roast. Now if you like coffee darker than this, we’re not the coffee roaster for you. Because our coffee is extremely good for you, we feel it’s our duty to keep the carcinogen levels to an extreme low to provide you with healthy coffee.
One other benefit of the coffee we purchase from Sumatra is that, as a general rule, the Sumatra coffee we offer is our lowest in caffeine content – naturally. Many customers that previously couldn’t drink caffeinated coffee find that they are now able to enjoy a cup of fully caffeinated Sumatra (Dark or Medium Roast).
Sumatra Dark Cupping/Region Information:
Cupping Information:
Body: Full/Syrupy
Aroma: Dried Fruit, Nuts
Flavor: Dried fruit tones with a Heavy Nutty Base
Aftertaste: Lingering Deep Sweetness
Sweetness: Semi-Sweet – Dried Fruit
Region Information:
Country: Sumatra
Farm: Mandheling (Gayo Mountain Region)
Altitude: 1800 ft
Harvest: October-March
Soil: Volcanic Ash – High Nutrient
Production Method: Natural, Dry Process
Cupping Notes:
Certified organic Sumatra has a rich syrupy body with a dried fruit tone (apricot, cherry, and fig) and nutty base (pecan-esque). Acidity is fairly mild and the finish leaves a semi-heavy coating in the mouth.
A Tillamook Mocha Affogato (made with espresso perc’ed on a stovetop)
So far, the theme of our “Coffee Recipes” has been dessert. We will start adding non-dessert items soon, but this really isn’t going to change that theme… it was just too good to not post!
I’m a BIG fan of ice cream (not quite rivaling my coffee love… but definitely closer than most things). Coffee AND ice cream (the simplest definition of an affogato) is just a small mixture of heaven. Wikipedia describes an affogato as…
An affogato (Italian, “drowned”) is a coffee-based beverage. It usually takes the form of a scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream topped with a shot of hot espresso.
This last friday, my wife, myself, and my kids had the pleasure of enjoying dinner at the house of one of our friends. After what could only be described as an amazingly delicious meal with homemade quiche, it was time for dessert. As friends, there was only one brand of coffee they were actually allowed to have in their home (I kid… but really).
Ingredients:
Tillamook Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Hershey’s Syrup
Camano Island Coffee Roasters’ coffee (we used CICR decaf)
Directions:
Make a batch of stovetop “espresso”
Scoop the Tillamook Vanilla Bean ice cream into a glass (note: when the coffee is added, the ice cream will melt so heap it on!)
Drizzle the Hershey’s syrup on the ice cream.
Pour the freshly brewed espresso over the ice cream.
Enjoy with a big smile.
And there you have it… a delicious desert with great ice cream, awesome organic coffee, and chocolate – A Mocha Affogato!
I have no idea why there are strawberries in this photo… really.
My wife’s newest creation – Oreo Truffle Brownies with Espresso Ganache – comes courtesy of a friend. Rather than retype the instructions, I’m going to paste them directly from the email. There is something fun in the way they’ve been laid out – you can tell the sender was drooling over the thought of her own recipe as she typed it. Bolded letters were added by me though.
Doesn’t this just look delicious, dripping with gooey espresso ganache!?
So, in a 9×13 pan make any brownie (homemade or box) then set it aside to cool. Then, in a bowl, crush by hand (or grind up in a food processor) an entire package of double stuff Oreos. Next, take 4 oz. of cream cheese put in microwave for 10 sec. to soften. Mix it in really well with the Oreo crumbs then spread and press on to the brownies.
Finally you make a ganache, where you bring to a simmer (on medium heat), 1 cup of whipping cream add 1 cup of milk chocolate chips and whisk until blended and smooth. Turn off the heat and add/mix your espresso (1-2 oz) let cool for 5 minutes then while still warm pour evenly over your brownies then let them cool completely before devouring…soooooo fudgy! Yum!
The recipe makes me so excited just to read. My wife replaced the “instant espresso” part (why is it that all recipes try to force bad coffee on you?) with fresh coffee. Two shots (2oz) of our certified organic, Varietal Supremo espresso coffee bean from Camano Island Coffee Roasters.
THIS WAS AMAZING. Yeah, I realize that I keep saying this about the stuff she is making… but I’m not lying. This is a super-rich, tasty dessert that was the perfect followup for dinner last night. One brownie was more than enough and left a delicious lingering taste in my mouth for most of the rest of the evening.
Ok, I have to be honest… not many of the crew here got to enjoy this white chocolate mocha pie. *shhh… don’t tell*
My wife had this waiting for me when I ran home for lunch a couple days ago. I ate lunch, was getting ready to run back to work… then she said “Oh, hey! I have something special for you to try.” That was all that was needed to get me to hang out a few minutes longer!
I gotta say, not only did it look SUPER good… but it tasted amazing! As I was finishing my first piece, I started cleaning up my dish and silverware to start my journey back to work.
Then she stopped me again… (she knows how to keep me around longer!)
“So, I made this with sugar-free white chocolate pudding and fat-free cool whip. I hope it tasted ok?”
Ok? It was delicious! I enjoyed a second piece (funny how that logic worked out for me). Anyhow, enough of the story, here’s the how-to.
Ingredients:
-1 chocolate pie crust (8-inch)
-1 1/4 cups cold milk
-2 tablespoons of double-strength Honduras Dark Roast (from Camano Island Coffee of course)
-2 packages of 4-serving, sugar-free, white chocolate flavor instant pudding
-8 oz. Cool Whip, divided
-2 Pinches of Cinnamon powder (for the top)
Instructions:
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together milk and double strength Honduras Dark Roast coffee; add pudding mix and 1/2 (4oz) of the whipped topping. Beat until creamy and mixture becomes thick, about 1 minute. With a spatula, spread mixture in a prepared crust and top with the remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Just prior to serving, add the cinnamon lightly to the top.
Idea From:CookingWithK.net and modified for GOOD coffee and a couple other things:)
Hope you love this as much as I did (and two others at “The Roaster” – not naming names in case I get in trouble!)
Bad coffee may be bad for you, but good coffee is always good for you!
From time to time we’re see the question “Is coffee bad for you?” Well, “Is coffee bad for you?” is kind of a loaded question. Bad coffee is bad for you and good coffee can be very healthy. But how can you know the difference?
Is Coffee Bad For You? — Arabica vs Robusta.
First you have to start with the type of coffee you’re drinking. Arabica is the high quality species of the coffee tree. Robusta is the low quality species. Robusta coffee develops twice the acidity and caffeine of Arabica. Unfortunately, many coffee companies “cut” their “blends” with robusta to save costs. In fact during the first quarter of 2012 imports of Robusta rose by 80% while imports of Arabica decreased by 30%. Big coffee companies are increasing profits on the back of your palate and health. Is coffee bad for you? Only if you’re drinking high caffeine, high acid robusta.
Is Coffee Bad For You? — Organic vs. Conventional
Coffee is sprayed with more chemicals than any other crop outside of tobacco. These same pesticides — like Carbofuran, and Endosulfan — are carcinogenic. In other words cancer-causing. That’s why we believe coffee should only be grown organically. Is coffee bad for you? Only if it’s grown using pesticides.
Is Coffee Bad For You? — Shade-Grown vs. Sun-Grown
Most coffee is sun-grown. This causes the coffee tree to grow abnormally fast. In turn the coffee tree develops twice the acidity and caffeine of shade-grown coffee. If you suffer from acid reflux or even heartburn, then you should drink shade-grown coffee. In fact we hear all the time from folks who quit coffee due to acid reflux and acidity only to drink our coffee and suffer no ill effects.
So, is coffee bad for you? Only if it’s grown with pesticides, in direct sunlight, and mixed with robusta beans. It’s pretty clear if you want healthy coffee only drink Organic, Shade-Grown and 100% Arabica beans.
**Bonus Content**
While Andrew was *ahem* working the other day, he came across this awesome video titled “Is Coffee Bad For You?”. It only touches on a few of the health related aspects of coffee because it focuses on the product as a whole and not on specific low or high-quality coffees.
Want to be sure your coffee is not bad for you? Grab a free pound below to start enjoy healthful, certified organic coffee with amazing flavor!
