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The groundhog predicted an early spring, and we'd certainly like to believe him. With the change to an earlier daylight savings and the hint of warmer temperatures this week, the Peace Coffee crew has a bad case of spring fever.
Never mind that Minnesota can have some nasty weather in March and April. We're ready to hit the bike paths and hiking trails! But business first. In this month's issue of
Fair Grounds, Andy and Ryan talk about their recent trip to the Dominican Republic to meet with the coop that will soon be supplying beans to Peace Coffee. We've also got a short piece on the new farm bill, a recommendation on a must-see film, a St. Patrick's Day recipe, a Roaster's Corner and two winning haikus. Grab a mug of Peace Coffee, settle back and read on...
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by Andy Lambert, Peace Coffee Outreach Coordinator and Ryan Seibold, Peace Coffee Production Roaster
 The island of Hispaniola (a.k.a. Haiti/Dominican Republic) was first inhabited by a society known as the
"Taino" and numbered around 400,000 at the time of Christopher Columbus’ arrival. The island was the third piece of land Spanish explorers set foot on in the "new world" in 1492, following the Bahamian island of Guanahani and present-day Cuba. The island is home to the first Catholic Church in the "new world" known as "La
Isabela" which hosted the first Catholic mass in 1494. From this point to present day, slavery, conquest, occupation by imperialist forces and dictatorial rule would make up much of the island’s volatile and incredible history. From January 28th to February 3rd, we got to know a handful of kind and inspirational coffee farmers of this island, bits and pieces of their culture and what they hope for in the future.
Starting this year, Peace Coffee will be purchasing coffee from the Federation de Caficultores de la Region Sur cooperative (FEDECARES) in the Dominican Republic (DR). Established in May of 1985, FEDECARES is a second-level coop made up of 176 base organizations, 6,000 coffee producers and 7,498 members in total (some of whom produce products other than coffee). Based in San Cristobal, DR, the coop provides members with technical assistance, marketing assistance, social services, and works in gender and youth action programs. The coffee producers of FEDECARES collectively farm on 15,000 hectares (approximately 6,000 acres). In 2006, FEDECARES exported 1.057 million pounds of Fair Trade certified coffee to markets in the U.S. and Europe. The coop is currently working with a 5-year plan that includes the development of two new arms of the organization. One arm will administer social programs that serve the coop's members and the other, called "Proco Sur," will aid with marketing efforts for all products produced by the coop members. The shift in developing these two programs is creating interesting challenges for the coop, but they feel the effort is well worth the struggle.
Read more...
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 From
March 23rd through the 25th, join Peace Coffee at
the Walker Art Center for Our Daily Bread,
a powerful film on industrial food systems.
Director Nikolaus Geyrhalter delivers an elegant
series of wordless tableaus, revealing a feast not
always easy to digest. With no dialogue and
striking cinematography, Our Daily Bread
reveals a fascinating system - affecting everyone
- that is at once exacting in its efficiency, yet
incredibly devoid of humanity and the pleasure
associated with eating. Director Geyrhalter was
given unprecedented access to the industrialized
and impersonal world of contemporary food
production, and his dynamic images provide the
damning consequences of a soulless technology that
fulfills our desire for a vast variety of food at
cheap prices. 2005, Austria, 35mm, 92 minutes.
Tickets
and info
Watch
the Trailer
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 The
U.S. Farm Bill leaves a huge footprint on the U.S.
and the world. From farmers to rural communities,
to the environment and public health, as
Washington gears up for the 2007 Farm Bill, our
parent company the Institute for Agriculture and
Trade Policy analyzes what's at stake for all of
us. Throughout the year, IATP will publish a
series of briefs highlighting key issues in the
Farm Bill. This month, IATP published the first
two in the series.
1.
A
Fair Farm Bill for America
(pdf)
How Americans are effected everyday by the Farm
Bill - from energy and health to the environment,
labor and hunger.
2.
A
Fair Farm Bill for the World
(pdf)
The Farm Bill's influence over world policies is
colossal - the WTO, food aid, market concentration
and public health may all change.
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We
received two great haikus this month, and couldn't
choose between them, so they're both winners! The
first is from Amanda
Kimble-Evans of Kutztown, PA, who says
"This from someone who thought she didn't
like coffee! No other bean will do. I'm in love
with your Bird Mountain Mexican. Just opening the
bag gives me shivers of anticipation. Warm, dark
and lovely. Thank, you Peace Coffee farmers,
roaster and staff!"
Anticipation
Rich
oils glisten.
I long to grind those dark orbs
into liquid bliss.
The
second one is from Nathan
Burt of Minneapolis – it's his
tribute to our Guatemalan Dark Roast. He writes
"I recently tried it for the first time, and
it was love at first sip. The effect of this bean
on me is simply supernatural!"
Daybreak's
elixir
Transmogrifies sleepy eyes
Sheer Guate-magic
Congratulations
to both Amanda and Nathan!
If
you're passionate about Peace Coffee, show it!
Send us:
—
a photo showing your "Peace Coffee Pride”
— a short written testimonial about how much you
love us
— an original coffee poem or haiku (three lines,
5 syllables in the first, 7 in the second, 5 in
the last)
Each
month, we’ll choose one entry to appear in the
following Fair Grounds newsletter. If we
choose yours, you’ll win a pound of your
favorite Peace Coffee coffee. Please send your
entry to mel@peacecoffee.com.
Contest
ends: April 9th
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"We don't accomplish anything in this world alone...
and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates
something."
~
Sandra Day O'Connor
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- February
2007 Ice Ice Baby by Melanee Meegan, Marketing Director & Marathon Runner, Taking to the Streets for the Stupor Bowl by Tom Hudson, Peace Coffee Bike & Biodiesel Delivery Driver, Global Warming 101 by Andy Lambert, Peace Coffee Outreach Coordinator.
- January
2007 Having Attitude for Gratitude by Ton Tran, Peace Coffee Race Team Manager, Wedge Co-op Introduces Sow the Seeds by Mandy
Catlette, Magic Beans: Sow the Seeds Blend is Ready to Brew by Barth Anderson, Research and Development Coordinator at the Wedge Community Co-op
- December
2006 I Bought a Cow For You!, Fair Trade: It's Not Just for Coffee, Beer! It Tastes So Good! by Melanee
Meegan, Marketing Manager & Beer Activist
- November
2006 Book Review: Organic Coffee by Tim King, Becoming a Beer Activist by Melanee
Meegan, Hot Off the Press: Fermenting Revolution, How Microbrew Can Save the World by Chris O'Brien
- October
2006 The Power of 100: A Fair Trade Harvest, Minnesota Does Fair Trade, Local to Global: A Fair Trade Resource List
- September
2006 The Hike: Another Peace Coffee Adventure by Ryan
Seibold, Peace Coffee Production Roaster, Coming to a Theatre Near You!:
Black Gold.
- August
2006 One Brick at a Time by Beth Backen, Shipping and Receiving Coordinator, Sitting On Top of the World by Nate Stevens, Customer Accounts Representative, The Long Haul to the Green Man by Ryan
Seibold, Eco Experience at the State Fair, Howdy. I'm Keith, The New Head Roaster.
- July
2006 Bike Film Festival Rolls Into Minneapolis, Biofuels or Bust by Jim Kleinschmit and Mark Smith, Oxfam Red Cards Adidas
- June
2006 Travels With Habitat in Guatemala by Andy Lambert, Finding Balance in East Timor by Anna Canning, New Peace Coffee Beer:
MJDBA, Customer Spotlight: Jay's Café by Melanee
Meegan.
- May
2006 Gardening Grounds by Nathan Steigman, Peace Coffee Builds With Habitat, Bike Map Adds New Spin to Art-A-Whirl
- April
2006 Discovering Fair Trade in Guatemala by Keith Tomlinson,
Travel Notes from Sumatra, Indonesia by Jamie Schumacher,
Birchwood Café Celebrates Earth Day, Birch Clothing Plants Trees, Donates $$
- March
2006 The Scent of Sumatra by Anna Canning, On the Road at The USFT Convergence by Andy Lambert, Happy 20th! A Big Year for IATP
- February
2006 Tsunami Goal Reached, Fair Trade Fashion Debuts in Hong Kong by Patricia
Jurewicz, Senior Associate, Trade and Global Governance at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, The Red Bull Sky Ride, Cool Opportunities Sustainable Energy in Motion Bike Tour
- January
2006 Peace Coffee and Fair Trade Gain
Ground by Scott Patterson, Coffee Flavored
Beers Grow in Popularity by Andy Lambert, 10
Good Things About Another Bad Year by Medea
Benjamin, Director of Global Exchange &
Co-Founder of Code Pink
- December
2005 Make Peace, Not War, Students Help Grow the Fair Trade Movement by Andy Lambert,
Catching Up With the Crew, Think Tank Going to WTO Ministerial
- November
2005 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
- October
2005 Coop Coffees Meets in Guatemala by Tripp Pomeroy, Peace Coffee Bike Team Season Wrap-up by Ton Tran, Peace Coffee Bike Grinder, Catching Up With the Crew, Peace Gear: Spiffy Socks
- September
2005 Green Beans Lost in Katrina's Wake by Scott Patterson, The Revolution Will Not Be Motorized by Andy Lambert, The Joy of Stovetop Espresso Machines by Melanee
Meegan, The Wanderlust Returns By Brad the Intrepid Bean Pedaler
- August
2005 A New Buzz...Chain Saw Art, The Valley of the Giant Green Man by Andy Lambert, Peace Coffee Events and Demo Guy, The Annual Milk Carton Boat Race by Melanee
Meegan, Peace Coffee Marketing Manager
- July
2005 Pedal Power: Peace Coffee Bike Team, FT Futures: Living a Fair Trade Life, CAFTA Is Not Done: A Call to Action
- June
2005 Extraordinary Ethiopia by Melanee
Meegan, Peace Coffee Marketing & Advertising Coordinator, Peace
Coffee's 2nd Annual Open House, Aceh Tsunami Relief Fund Update
PPKGO, ForesTrade and CV Trimaju, Batter Up! by Monika
Firl, Coop Coffees
- May
2005 Fair Trade in Seattle by Scott Patterson,
Brad's Nicaragua Journal by Brad the Bike Messenger
- April
2005 Fair Trade Travels and Other Adventures, Nicaragua Trip Brings Fair Trade to Life by Anneka
Kmiecik, Birchwood Café,
Fair Trade in a Volatile Market by Bill Harris, Cooperative Coffees
- March
2005 Andy's Chiapas Journal (part two) by
Andy Lambert, Converging For Fair Trade
- February
2005 Update On The Aceh Fund, Return To Chiapas (part one) by Andy Lambert, In Praise Of Hot Chocolate
by Rachel Hiltsley
- January
2005 Tragedy's Wake: Update From Sumatra, How I Spent My Floating Holiday by Brad the Bike Messenger, A Coffee Science Experiment by Rachel
Hiltsley, Resident Equipment Expert
- December
2004 Great Coffee the French Press Way, The Best Coffee in Town,
Coffee+Beer=Friggin' Good. eh?
- November
2004 My Other Bike is a Biodiesel,
Biodiesel: It's What's Inside
- October
2004 A Peaceful Alternative to Petroleum,
Don't Just Do It. Do It With Justice
- September
2004 Santa Anita de la Union, The Beauty of the St. Paul Classic
- August
2004 Crema Café: Home of Sonny's Ice Cream,
- July
2004 Exploring
Our Origins: Ethiopia
- June
2004 Journey through the Life of a Bean
- May
2004 Report
from Colombia and Brad 's Big Bike
Adventure
- April
2004 Nicaragua:
Coffee and
the Community at CECOCAFEN
- March
2004 Fair Trade Friends: United Students
for Fair Trade
- February
2004 Mut Vitz
and APECAFORMM Trip Reports
- January
2004 10
Good Things about a Bad Year
- December
2003 Global Exchange Fair Trade Challenge
- November
2003 Barriers to Fair Trade: NAFTA on
Steroids
- October
2003 Dia de
Los Muertos
- September
2003 Report
from Cancun: Victory
for Fair Trade
- August
2003 Fair
Trade Friends: Oxfam America
- July
2003 Exploring
Our Origins: Sumatra
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Fair
Grounds is produced by:
Peace Coffee
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
Derek De La Paz
Tom Hudson
Andy Lambert
Josh Lavelle
Melanee Meegan
Joe Moskowitz
Natalie Ryno
Ryan Seibold
Nate Stevens
Keith Tomlinson
Lee Wallace
*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.
Fair
Grounds is designed by:
Starstruck
Design
335 West Gill Road
Gill, MA 01354
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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