Fair Grounds - Peace Coffee

Showing Our Gratitude
Hurricane Stan Causes Much Devastation by Jeronimo Bollen of Manos Campesinas
On the Road With Brad...Continued
Winter Biking Tips from Hub Bike Co-op
Show Your Peace Coffee Pride and Win!
Customer Spotlight: Peaceful Valley Greetings
Meet the Queen Bee (and Worker Bees) by Andy Lambert
Test Your Coffee Knowledge!
Quote of the Month
Past Issues of Fair Grounds

It's almost Thanksgiving (believe or not - we can't!), and time to reflect on the blessings of the past year. With all the global disasters (the Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Stan, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, and the list goes on), it might be easy to say it's been a bad year. But we beg to differ. At Peace Coffee, hearing of other people's troubles just deepens our resolve to make things better. And we'll continue to show our gratitude for our blessings -- family, friends and great fairly traded coffee among them -- in everything we do.

In this issue of Fair Grounds, we offer a report on the devastation wrought by Hurricane Stan in Guatemala and what our friends at the Manos Campesinas cooperative are doing to help. Brad gives us a travel update from his most recent stop: New Zealand! In the Roaster's Corner, TJ introduces us to the latest Peace Coffee blend. We also offer some winter biking tips, present a customer spotlight on Peaceful Valley Greetings, and showcase the Queen Bee (and her worker bees). We've also got a new contest and a Thanksgiving take on latte. Grab a big ol' mug of Peace Coffee, read on and enjoy...

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by Jeronimo Bollen of Manos Campesinas

While the damage done all over Guatemala by Hurricane Stan still hasn't been fully estimated, the general overview is pretty clear. The most affected areas were on the Pacific coast, where the Ministry of Agriculture estimates that flooding destroyed 50% and 80% of the region's crops; the Western Highlands, where the landslides in Panabaj and Tacaná, among others, took place; and some areas in the southeast of the country that were hit with severe flooding. The rest of the country has experienced minor problems, basically the loss of electricity, lack of communication (phone and mobile), and problems with the supply of food, drinking water and gasoline.

more...

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Hey ya'll -- At about Spokane, I made a spontaneous decision to visit New Zealand. I reached Seattle in the last days of October, packed all my gear, my bike, and shipped it all home. I really enjoyed riding to Puget Sound. Riding into Seattle as the sun began to set on my last day was poignant and magical. The urge to come to New Zealand stemmed from a certain loneliness I was feeling out there, both as a long-distance cyclist and as an American who feels disappointed in his country.

I'm enjoying New Zealand. I have a travel-mate and I've hiked up two mountains in a week. The people here are great and I'm able to work on farms all around the country for room and board. Oh and its summer here.

I hope you all are well, and I'll be keeping in touch.

Peace and Love,

Brad

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There are many philosophies about the best combination of bike and gear for winter biking. Your best options will be different depending on what type of riding you plan on doing. Your terrain, length of ride, and your budget will be large influences on your choices. It is best to research and get advice and then customize and experiment to fit your requirements. Lastly, have fun! Winter biking can be a great adventure-especially when you are hauling a trailer full of coffee beans!

CLOTHING. Think Layers! Waterproof, breathable outer layers are often most convenient. Wool or synthetic under layers will help wick moisture and avoid sweat-soaked feelings. Good wind resistant gloves/mittens are necessary for Minneapolis (with mittens and heavy-duty lobster mitts being more important in the depths of winter), and a balaclava and goggles are great on really cold days. Lake makes the MXZ300 winter riding shoe and wind-proof, insulated booties are options for those who demand year round clipless riding. Platform pedals (with or without toe clips/power grips) and heavy boots are also an option. In a pinch, a baggie wrapped around your foot in your shoe can help.

EQUIPMENT. Ideas to think about include: studded tires, single speed tensioners for switching to a single speed, converting to a fixed gear, fenders to save your bike from the slush (make sure you have plenty of clearance), and lights for the increasingly dark winter hours.

TECHNIQUE. Winter riding is slower and cars tend to be much less angry at cyclists. You'll find you need to ride in an easier gear to cope with the snow, and that you may want to lower your seat to have better balance. Be aware of your body posture and relax your upper body as it tends to stiffen in response to the slick roads. Make small corrections when your bike begins to fishtail rather than large ones, and finally, enjoy the quiet!

MAINTENANCE. Winter riding is tough on a bike, so be prepared to put a little extra into the drive train at the end of a season. To minimize the damage, clean your chain often with a solvent; a power link on your chain makes the job easier. Use a chain lube frequently, once a week if you ride daily. For winter riding, a light lubricant works best, avoid wax or oily lubes, and go for something like Pedro's Synlube for the winter.

A final tip: Don't lock up next to the road before they plow the street.

Web resources: www.bikewinter.org or www.icebike.org

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If you're passionate about Peace Coffee, send us a picture showing your "Peace Coffee Pride." Each month we will choose one photo to appear in our newsletter, as well as a local monthly publication, The Rake Magazine.

If we publish your photo, you will win a pound of your favorite Peace Coffee and a framed picture of the ad featuring your photograph.

Please email your photos to mel@peacecoffee.com or mail it to Peace Coffee, Attention: Mel at 2801 21st Ave. South, Suite 120, Minneapolis, MN 55407.

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Something for you, Something for Mother Nature

Felicia Phillips first came into Peace Coffee's office six months ago with a great idea to launch a website that sold products that were of high quality, respectful of the environment and from conscious businesses, like Peace Coffee. Felicia is a lover of wildlife and the great outdoors. Over the years, she has personally made generous financial contributions to many conservation organizations.

After a career change and a cut in pay, she wasn't able to write the same size checks to all of these wonderful organizations, so she decided to take her experience working for a product fundraising company and create an online fundraising store. Out of frustration about her lack of giving capacity, Peaceful Valley Greetings was born. 10% of each sale on the site goes to a rotating nonprofit conservation group. Felicia runs the website from her home in Carver, Minnesota. She still has her day job, but is committed to bringing more and more responsible products to her online store over time. When she isn't working, she enjoys kayaking in pristine waters in Alaska and Canada.

To learn more about Peace Valley Greetings visit www.peacefulvalleygreetings.com or call 612-605-5380.

If your organizations is interested in receiving funds from the site visit www.peacefulvalleygreetings.com/documents/
allgoodthingspdf.pdf to read about how you can sign up.

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by Andy Lambert

For those of you who REALLY love coffee, why not bathe with it? Coffee soap is nothing new in this era of natural, handcrafted soaps and body care products. In fact, the oils in coffee beans help breakdown those pungent odors from onion and garlic so it's perfect to have at your sink in the kitchen. The coffee grounds in the soap also exfoliate, so you can use it in the shower too! You don't actually end up smelling like a bag of coffee beans, just clean and fresh. (Visit our website to order a bar of the Cleansing Mocha Soap!)

more...

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Amanda Kimble-Evans of Pennsylvania knew that 90% of all of the people living in the western world have switched from tea to coffee (Answer C). Congrats, Amanda!

This is our last trivia question (for awhile at least). Check out our new "Show Your Peace Coffee Pride" photo contest in this issue of Fair Grounds.

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"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

-- John Fitzgerald Kennedy

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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
Jamie Schumacher
Ryan Seibold
TJ Semanchin
Nate Stevens
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*:
Nick Johnson
Keith Tomlinson

*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

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