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Though
it may have snuck up on us, it's November and at
Peace Coffee, we've got lots to be thankful for.
And tops on the list is the opportunity to spread
the Fair Trade message far and wide. Andy had an
opportunity to do just that while attending the
recent Co-op America Green Business Conference (he
profiles a side visit -- People's Grocery in West
Oakland -- in this issue). Also in the issue,
we've got more wit and wisdom from Brad, the Bike
Messenger; more on biodiesel initiatives in the
Twin Cities; an introduction to a new staffer; and
advice from our resident equipment expert plus a
new recipe, Dr. Coffee and trivia question. Kick
back with a mug of Peace Coffee and enjoy!
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by
Andy Lambert
 The
32,000 residents of West Oakland, CA, have only one
grocery but have 40 liquor stores. Seventy percent
of the residents live below the poverty line and
have virtually no access to affordable, healthy
food. People’s Grocery, a West Oakland-based
non-profit group, has started an organic, urban
agriculture revolution and the youth from that
neighborhood are leading the way.
more…
(Back
to Headlines)
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by
Brad the Bike Messenger
It’s
Thanksgiving week and I’m psyching myself up to
condense a week’s work into three days. Suffice
it to say, I’m giving my legs a reprieve,
gingerly setting aside my bicycle, and opting
instead for our other eco-friendly delivery
vehicle: a 2003 Dodge Sprinter. If you read last
month’s newsletter you saw pictures and its
be-spangled glory and you know that it runs on
soybeans grown right here in Minnesota.
more…
(Back
to Headlines)
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by
Andy Lambert
 Climate
change is underway. Due to increased levels of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, Minnesotans can
expect more server and more frequent droughts and
floods in the next 50 years. Hundreds of families in
northern Minnesota who make a living off winter
recreation activities such as ice fishing, cabin
rentals, and snowmobile rentals will tell you that
their businesses have suffered in recent years due
to abnormally warm winters.
Although
the United States accounts for less than 5% of the
world population, our insatiable appetite for fossil
fuels makes us the largest producer of greenhouse
gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and
nitrous oxide.
Cars,
trucks and airplanes produce about a third of all
the greenhouse gases that are emitted into the
atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. In fact,
heavy-duty diesel trucks account for 69% of road
fine particulate matter air pollution. One way to
reduce greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels is
to ride your bike whenever possible, walk, or take
public transportation. If none of these options work
for you, you can also join the growing number of
people and businesses that are switching to
BIODIESEL!!!
more…
(Back
to Headlines)
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by
Rachel Hiltsley, Resident Equipment Expert
 I
am learning the ways of the blade grinder. Being
the surly perfectionist I am, I am partial to the
way of the burr, which crushes the beans to a
fairly uniform grind. A blade grinder functions a
bit more like a weed whacker. You throw the beans
at the blades and whack, whack, whack---some get
ground super fine others are extra coarse and
there’s a little bit in the middle that is just
what you wanted. Not to mention the fact that if
you’re trying to get a fine grind, you can end
up heating up your grinds. As luck would have it I
happened on the Bodum C mill. As is apparent from
the fact that we sell them, we like them. Bodum
products in general are well crafted and simple.
The C mill is no exception; it whacks away but has
a good enough blade to do it fairly consistently.
The motor is strong AKA does NOT heat up when all
you’re trying to do is grind a few beans for a
pot of coffee. The thing I like the most about the
C mill, though, is the blade is positioned in such
a way as to make the grinder much easier to clean
than any blade grinder I’ve ever owned. A major
issue, if you don’t clean out your grinder
between uses oils will gather and go rancid! Since
the C mill is so easy to clean you won’t have
any excuses. I give it 2 thumbs up. Visit our
equipment page to order the Bodum C-Mill in three
different colors!
Just
a note: When grinding for French press vs. drip
coffee I grind in shorter 2 second bursts vs. 5
second bursts for drip. This is because I don’t
want to over due it on the press coffee since the
fine stuff will end up in your cup. And that’s
no good. About 10- 2 second bursts for the press
and 5- 5 second for the drip.
(Back
to Headlines)
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| by
J-me Schumacher
 As
the new Office and Accounting Manager, this has
been the task I have had the most trouble with so
far. Write about myself in a bio for the
newsletter!? Can’t I say lots of nice things
about everybody here else instead? No, alas, I
have been assigned the task of introducing myself.
So here I go!
I
am Jamie Schumacher (j-me!) one of the newest
faces at Peace Coffee. I grew up in California,
close to the beach, near to the mountains, but the
best surrounding by far was my amazing family! I
was pretty much an all-around-dork growing
up…obsessed with computers, all kinds of art,
music, books, and freaks… I even wore a
clown-suit to my senior picture! After High
School, I went on to study at Cal. State
Fullerton, where I graduated with a degree in
Philosophy and Art. While in college and graduate
school I simultaneously worked a number of jobs,
including an accounting and office job that I
continued with after graduation...until the move!
My
boyfriend and I moved from Southern California to
Minnesota a little over a year ago. Our goal: to
experience living life in a new place, where we
could hopefully try to pursue every dream we
couldn’t afford to while living in California.
Needless to say, the first trip cross country was
AMAZING, and things have followed suit ever since!
Since I moved to Minnesota, I have now experienced
REAL seasons, helped start Altered Esthetics, a
multi-function "art space" in Northeast
Minneapolis, and most recently, land a job working
for one of the best companies I have ever, ever
been a part of. Working here at Peace Coffee so
far has really been an artist’s dream-come-true.
A "day-job" that I can be every bit as
passionate about as my personal art and studies,
if not more so. Things have been moving pretty
fast lately, but I couldn’t be happier about my
decision to move to the Midwest and the way it has
played out so far. For now, life is like level 13
in Tetris … where the pieces seem to be falling
pretty fast from the sky, but everything seems to
be fitting together just perfectly.
(Back
to Headlines)
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| We're
giving away coffee!
Think
you know a lot about coffee? Then enter our Fair
Grounds Trivia Contest. Click
here for our question of the month. Entering is easy
and it's FUN!
Last
month's Coffee Knowledge winner is Antonio
Plutino, who knew that 75% of the
caffeine consumed in the United States comes from
coffee. Congratulations, Antonio!
(Back
to Headlines)
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"Not
what we say about our blessings, but how we use
them, is the true measure of our
thanksgiving."
W.T.
Purkiser
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Fair
Grounds is produced by:
Cooperative
Coffees
Contact
Information:
Orders
and General Information
Phone - 612.870.3440 or 1.888.324.7872
Fax - 612-677-3989
E-Mail - info@peacecoffee.com
Web - http://www.peacecoffee.com
Peace
Coffee Crew*:
Anna
Canning
Beth Backen
Rachel Hiltsley
Andy
Lambert
Melanee Meegan
Michelle Ramier
Jamie
Schumacher
TJ Semanchin
Scott Patterson
*We
work together to get the coffee out to our customers.
Although we have specific job titles, we all take turns
switching roles and putting in time where it's needed
most.
Peace
Coffee Bikers*:
Brad
Wilson
*Our bikers pack a mean trailer full of coffee. They are
speedy as speedy gets. Watch out, when they are on the
street, they mean business!
Fair
Grounds is designed by:
Starstruck
Design
335 West Gill Road
Gill, MA 01376
Contact
Information:
Don Kruger
Lynn Nichols
Phone - 413.863.7752
Fax - 413-863-7752
Web -
http://www.starstruckdesign.com
You
are receiving your Fair Grounds e-newsletter
because you told us you wanted to get it, or a good
friend of yours suggested to us that you would like to
get it. If you like it, let us know. If you want to
suggest ways that we can make it better, let us know.
Our e-mail is info@peacecoffee.com
If
you would like to unsubscribe to the Fair Grounds
E-Newsletter because:
- You may have more than one e-mail address on our list.
- Your e-mail address may have changed.
- You're going on a six month visit of Latin American
Coffee Cooperatives (Take us with you).
- or any other reason
simply send an e-mail to: newsletter-off@peacecoffee.com
and put your e-mail address in the subject line.
Remember,
you are always welcome to visit our website at http://www.peacecoffee.com
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