tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90320696405024924142024-03-12T20:06:03.766-07:00updates...From the Ground UpUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-64744254862224894212013-08-21T17:22:00.001-07:002013-08-21T17:22:24.227-07:00Solar-powered Coffee Processing<div style="text-align: center;">
At the Yoro Processing Center in Honduras, a ground-breaking initiative is taking place: the world's first solar-powered green coffee processing mill. "The Yoro processing center is 'off-grid' in that it generates its own electricity, and allows local farmers through their coop to not only process but also to export their harvest directly to the world's specialty coffee market." -Peter Friedland of <i>Coffee Talk</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvdsaYiWzY_lroNj5HVhjSoKJlbyKtr71pW6KBYr_R-kxb5EVeNVHA3QlX8KizdZkZmP8YtGv8foffvqfFPwfFoPJn4zKX6Z83hNcyaTcU-241spF_FqLei8SwBMOjayJogRXCBjRw1w/s1600/Beneficio-at-Night-I-e1345576632820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvdsaYiWzY_lroNj5HVhjSoKJlbyKtr71pW6KBYr_R-kxb5EVeNVHA3QlX8KizdZkZmP8YtGv8foffvqfFPwfFoPJn4zKX6Z83hNcyaTcU-241spF_FqLei8SwBMOjayJogRXCBjRw1w/s400/Beneficio-at-Night-I-e1345576632820.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Managed by women and operated by youth of the community, the initiative of COMISUYL coop is gaining attention as a new model of sustainability. The center is able to dry coffee without burning wood from tropical forests. Additionally, the solar energy plant is backed up with other renewable energy made from an indigenous tree, Jatropha Curcas. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtviOZZIlOLZvI4WrtEasNSw9B46X8HYaQ1tjqmwNRiizlYrKi_54fydCRYn7gXcShXDztK5c0DcJfEZZyUVgjCaIiKhc7GkngCFrvSBb-n6LdoiKxTr0MhJKXL1e-C5SR9jFyTsvmNY/s1600/Jatropha-oil-extraction-e1345129231388.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtviOZZIlOLZvI4WrtEasNSw9B46X8HYaQ1tjqmwNRiizlYrKi_54fydCRYn7gXcShXDztK5c0DcJfEZZyUVgjCaIiKhc7GkngCFrvSBb-n6LdoiKxTr0MhJKXL1e-C5SR9jFyTsvmNY/s400/Jatropha-oil-extraction-e1345129231388.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jatropha oil extraction </td></tr>
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The solar dryer is the result of a partnership between the Mesoamerican Development Institute in Massachusetts and the COMISUYL coop. Cafe Solar coffee is now the official coffee of the UMass Lowell campus.</div>
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These new initiatives are shaping the future of sustainable harvesting and economic development. </div>
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Read more about off-grid coffee processing <a href="http://mesoamerican.org/portfolio/worlds-first-off-grid-coffee-processing/">here</a>. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-70161460573990402072013-07-30T13:34:00.001-07:002013-07-30T13:34:41.415-07:00FTGU at the Good Earth Food Co-Op<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0t8o9jwcqp8BXvsXENdbocbak6mFzcg8wJN_0eAsnoXgwujlvHqkg01Mpb6sGLoxB62EuesiiCsyOhIdEwhPtIMRSOKQit9torSRFBPBKZaepM06v5tw74JsclzgxIkYN3tHp0JZ8SI/s1600/Good+Earth+co-op.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0t8o9jwcqp8BXvsXENdbocbak6mFzcg8wJN_0eAsnoXgwujlvHqkg01Mpb6sGLoxB62EuesiiCsyOhIdEwhPtIMRSOKQit9torSRFBPBKZaepM06v5tw74JsclzgxIkYN3tHp0JZ8SI/s400/Good+Earth+co-op.png" width="297" /></a></div>
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From the Ground Up coffees will soon be available at the Good Earth Food Co-op in St. Cloud, Minnesota! We are more than excited that our mission to support coffee growers aligns with the mission at Good Earth to have sustainable, organic, local and Fair Trade products whenever possible. </div>
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If you're in the St. Cloud area or just driving through, check out the co-op, grab a pound of coffee and enjoy! </div>
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Our coffees are also available online: <a href="http://www.FromTheGroundUpCommuinty.org/">www.FromTheGroundUpCommuinty.org</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-22374425647725918682013-06-18T12:12:00.004-07:002013-06-18T12:12:39.619-07:00History of Coffee Roasting<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The Arabs discovered in the late 13th century that applying heat to coffee beans, grinding the beans, and boiling the grounds in water, would release the unique aroma and taste of coffee. Many other methods of preparing coffee were practiced. The berries can be fermented to become a wine, the leaves and flowers can be dried and prepared as a tea, the raw beans can be soaked in water and spices and eaten like candy, or the husks of the dried coffee fruit can be boiled with spices to make <i>qishr</i>, a Yemeni drink. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycTd0Il-2-eYjndDEJeOJrbAFpzTKKC-7CPLiQLAqUtU8L2oqbleRTVOdb1J5DaCx1Faoq6U4_SgYZQDZ4jguZ59H3t3WbqFkit-R7SYjPRuMlMg7L1GJIRhlEzMEr3q7PlGiIVGxft0/s1600/arabs+roasting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycTd0Il-2-eYjndDEJeOJrbAFpzTKKC-7CPLiQLAqUtU8L2oqbleRTVOdb1J5DaCx1Faoq6U4_SgYZQDZ4jguZ59H3t3WbqFkit-R7SYjPRuMlMg7L1GJIRhlEzMEr3q7PlGiIVGxft0/s1600/arabs+roasting.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Despite all this, roasting, grinding, and steeping the beans produces the drink that captivated the world. When the coffee bean is roasted, oils are produced that give coffee its beloved primary tastes. In addition, sugars in the bean caramelize, contributing to color, body, sweetness, complexity, and flavor.The Arabs roasted beans over an open fire, and the Europeans roasted the beans in their ovens. In the 19th century large roasting equipment developed, turning coffee roasting into a commercial operation. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(caffepronto.com)</i></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRPh1RPxgeFzTv_mE57_iTJFbJQh9_bBhjTXMTrOraE2Z5jc72-p9D22abmfDTHs074jfGqG4NM-3qnZrQqjlH3DOL01JkDo47Y0zgAENFu8Gd6O1d9E9SStjpE4hp11z96bG-8L_kXw/s1600/IMG_1666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRPh1RPxgeFzTv_mE57_iTJFbJQh9_bBhjTXMTrOraE2Z5jc72-p9D22abmfDTHs074jfGqG4NM-3qnZrQqjlH3DOL01JkDo47Y0zgAENFu8Gd6O1d9E9SStjpE4hp11z96bG-8L_kXw/s400/IMG_1666.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Now we have the luxury of huge batch roasters with automated control panels and digital screens where you can input and save programs to ensure consistency and repeatability. Fancy environmental controls allow for less fuel consumption and more efficient cooling techniques. The roaster pictured above is where the magic happens at From the Ground Up (cool fact: this baby has a capacity of over 100 pounds)!</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-4738344406776228132013-05-20T13:53:00.003-07:002013-05-20T14:07:11.052-07:00Latin American Coffee Market<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>From the Ground Up</i> works in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico and Peru, and therefore cares a great deal about the people and economy in these countries. Overall, in the 2012-2013 harvest year, production was down 20% in Central America due to coffee rust ("La Roya") and adverse weather conditions. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdf5lzkrIwsvvMyxZsRcsX3zbosO-hDxPQmLs9PN0dob9WJpQaSg3BdqiPPL4n_hbNiMQEeN9zwl40kLbZE-JINXf2plgssXB1M_I03fCIAvisxyl-cQm_QajzaZhaUzNGky3R6Ca0LVo/s1600/coffee+rust.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdf5lzkrIwsvvMyxZsRcsX3zbosO-hDxPQmLs9PN0dob9WJpQaSg3BdqiPPL4n_hbNiMQEeN9zwl40kLbZE-JINXf2plgssXB1M_I03fCIAvisxyl-cQm_QajzaZhaUzNGky3R6Ca0LVo/s320/coffee+rust.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coffee Rust Fungus is particularly hazardous for coffee regions of Latin America</td></tr>
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<u>Updates by country</u>:<br />
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Nicaragua:<br />
Production was estimated to be down by as much as 400,000 quintales this harvest due to La Roya. This decrease in production affects exports and also impacts coffee prices worldwide.<br />
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Guatemala:<br />
Coffee export sales down 17.9% in 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. Although they have increased export volume, the export sales by income has decreased. "According to Anacafe, thee Coffee Exporters Association, the drop in income is due to market supply and demand, the international economic crisis and increased production in Brazil and Vietnam." -Coffee Talk Magazine<br />
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Mexico:<br />
The government of Mexico, through the Secretariat of Agriculture, has launched an emergency program to mitigate coffee rust, especially in Chiapas and Veracruz, the two main coffee-producing states. Fortunately, production volume is up by 3.5% from the previous year's harvest.<br />
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Peru:<br />
Low yields in the 2012 harvest due to scarcity of labor and the spread of coffee rust fungus caused an estimated 25% drop in production compared to 2011.<br />
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<i>From the Ground Up is working with coffee farmers in Nicaragua to replace all old and dying coffee trees with new coffee trees in the next five years. Read more on our website: <a href="http://www.fromthegroundupcommunity.org/">www.fromthegroundupcommunity.org </a></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-48074972895112791782013-04-25T13:28:00.002-07:002013-04-25T13:30:42.281-07:00"Step Aside, Gents. Witness The Rise of Women in Coffee" -NPR<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3i1OZE4JHwX_-qhZ0nRq68x7J8UC14NfzTSujEJW13YLg8UA0O1QPDX5Sz1tJPYCOqdKLtUOIsQ2ItttTu7YIvMNfc4Pb5_Xk86jmGoc8jDoxN41YFy3_UdOjzeS9f0SrAKNeWoU7zw/s1600/woman+in+the+field.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3i1OZE4JHwX_-qhZ0nRq68x7J8UC14NfzTSujEJW13YLg8UA0O1QPDX5Sz1tJPYCOqdKLtUOIsQ2ItttTu7YIvMNfc4Pb5_Xk86jmGoc8jDoxN41YFy3_UdOjzeS9f0SrAKNeWoU7zw/s320/woman+in+the+field.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NPR: </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...As the International Trade Centre has documented, women on family-owned coffee plants in African countries take on about 70 percent of maintenance and harvesting work. Yet they tend to have little or no control over their farms' finances, and they typically do not own land or have easy access to credit.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">But change is coming. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Increasingly in Central and South America, women are making progress. On Tuesday, we documented <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/04/23/178436079/journey-of-a-specialty-coffee-bean-from-cherry-to-cup" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the story</a> of Guatemalan farmer Miguelina Villatoro. In Colombia, 47 percent of the National Federation of Columbia Coffee Growers' members are female. In fact, one-fifth of that country's farms are owned and operated by women, according to the federation.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">(read the full article<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/04/25/177754873/step-aside-gents-witness-the-rise-of-women-in-coffee">here</a></span>).</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i>From the Ground Up sources a fantastic coffee from CODECH in Guatemala; Cafe Mujeres, which is not only comprised of female owners, but the profits are going towards building a women's health clinic in the community!</i> Taste some<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://fromthegroundup.bigcartel.com/product/guatemala-cafe-mujeres">here</a>. </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-87375956231465062722013-04-22T17:18:00.002-07:002013-04-22T17:18:48.724-07:00Coffee Quiz<div style="text-align: center;">
Test your coffee knowledge on <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/04/22/178092000/coffee-quiz-discover-the-world-in-a-cup-of-joe">this</a> fun little quiz. I got 8 out of 10, can you beat me??</div>
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<a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/04/22/178092000/coffee-quiz-discover-the-world-in-a-cup-of-joe">Click here for the QUIZ</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-71380980522579299692013-04-22T17:04:00.004-07:002013-04-22T17:07:05.764-07:00NPR: How Coffee Brings the World Together<div style="text-align: center;">
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Coffee is more than a drink. For many of us — OK, for me — it's woven into the fabric of every day.</div>
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It also connects us to far corners of the globe.</div>
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For instance, every Friday, a truck pulls up to the warehouse of <a href="http://counterculturecoffee.com/" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4774cc; font-size: 16px; font: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Counter Culture Coffee</a>, a small roaster and coffee distributor in Durham, N.C., and unloads a bunch of heavy burlap sacks.</div>
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On any random day, that truck could bring "10 bags from a farm in El Salvador; 20 bags from a cooperative in Burundi; two bags of a special coffee from Guatemala," says Kim Elena Ionescu, one of the coffee buyers for Counter Culture Coffee. She travels the world, visiting coffee farms and deciding which beans the company will buy.</div>
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The best coffee, she says, comes from high altitudes, but you cannot grow it in places that freeze, "so you need that mixture of high altitude and warm climate, which makes the tropics the place to grow it."</div>
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All across Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia, people <a href="http://www.targetmap.com/viewer.aspx?reportId=3033" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4774cc; font-size: 16px; font: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">grow coffee</a>.</div>
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In many tropical countries, especially poor ones, it's a pillar of the economy; <a href="http://www.ico.org/prices/po.htm" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4774cc; font-size: 16px; font: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">exports</a> of green coffee beans, globally, are worth $15 billion a year.</div>
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Read the full story <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/04/22/177975138/how-coffee-brings-the-world-together">here</a>.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-90080997941373628642013-04-04T06:58:00.002-07:002013-04-04T06:58:49.118-07:00NON-PROFIT STATUS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhol_Pyap01hdWjWRLCBVfXP1s0Z9wTxNjU0DFk0NwxHu1KFAP_iv-lmQtsWUPr-gX6XVRwnC4temtlrnLt1KDeeCx3suCnkGuGALqMJBDKJGWQLOEJw4CZnPGcIe40fq07CvVhk60NLjg/s1600/approved.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhol_Pyap01hdWjWRLCBVfXP1s0Z9wTxNjU0DFk0NwxHu1KFAP_iv-lmQtsWUPr-gX6XVRwnC4temtlrnLt1KDeeCx3suCnkGuGALqMJBDKJGWQLOEJw4CZnPGcIe40fq07CvVhk60NLjg/s320/approved.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The IRS gave us the desired stamp of approval! From the Ground Up is officially a tax-exempt organization! </div>
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This means that you can <a href="https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=vzVzQjnL1AXU-k9mRKh-vXRacF8gZfED8hg0dTqlc2V8YhrnRZGV_4tYID4&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d5348ead9d61c709ee8c979deef3ea735">donate</a> to the organization and get a year-end deduction.</div>
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Thank you for the patience and support during the last year while we waited for this!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-46250126562482821132013-04-02T12:48:00.000-07:002013-04-02T12:48:21.806-07:00Stay awake...and live longer? The health benefits of coffee.<i>"Drinking coffee can not only boost your energy but also your longevity. That’s the key finding of a new federal health study of nearly a half-million coffee drinkers that found those who regularly enjoy a cup of java live longer than those who don’t.</i><br />
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<i> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cupping at AnaCafe in Guatemala</td></tr>
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</i><i>The National Institutes of Health study, published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine, indicated that caffeinated and decaf coffee drinkers were less likely to die from heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, injuries and accidents, diabetes, and infections.</i><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>In an interview published this week in the Journal of Caffeine Research, Neal Freedman — with the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the NIH National Cancer Institute — said his study is among the most comprehensive to date of the health benefits of coffee and has significant implications for java junkies. Researchers tracked 500,000 U.S. men and women — ages 50 to 71, all members of the American Association of Retired Persons — for about 12 years.</i></div>
<span><br /><i>Not only did the results show a clear association between coffee and longevity, Freedman said, but they also indicated people who drank the most coffee tended to have greatest health benefits."</i></span><div>
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<span>Read the entire article <a href="http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/Health-News/NIH-Drink-Coffee-Live-Longer-Longevity/2013/02/20/id/491238">here</a>. </span><i><br /></i>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-87627551389762867752013-02-07T10:22:00.000-08:002013-02-07T10:22:09.384-08:00Tree replanting project: Nicaragua<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgop2JuPw9smXiAy7djN6zdOQMXYa4SHiOhlz1CEhbzIqPnCbYg_fHuVCx9bQp5DHoyXlaJ30JAhwWATjvAn1hO5cSBkFrzYD2RV_JBPhEhjcvyfSp35S-Zvl_aYy0LinYhlieMoy4FlwE/s1600/landscape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgop2JuPw9smXiAy7djN6zdOQMXYa4SHiOhlz1CEhbzIqPnCbYg_fHuVCx9bQp5DHoyXlaJ30JAhwWATjvAn1hO5cSBkFrzYD2RV_JBPhEhjcvyfSp35S-Zvl_aYy0LinYhlieMoy4FlwE/s400/landscape.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cinco de Junio</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWFORkjF6z33LdNpp-dhyp9J1n87Jtmcdbwzk7eY9dF1149pkn_tg2ejdTh4a9P-9QekA148uSqLPlzdk3rVKeRTRHaxDscIGUGOoIjzY3BSIBELKFe0GzxKE7_2Q9K9MJS0G-EfUrls/s1600/bag+of+cherries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWFORkjF6z33LdNpp-dhyp9J1n87Jtmcdbwzk7eY9dF1149pkn_tg2ejdTh4a9P-9QekA148uSqLPlzdk3rVKeRTRHaxDscIGUGOoIjzY3BSIBELKFe0GzxKE7_2Q9K9MJS0G-EfUrls/s400/bag+of+cherries.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New coffee seedlings take about 3 years to start producing coffee cherries</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8E6u_npxtH1Mwrl7b4RrJ-4F7b7Pv0NqqxapZKLa_8I6lzopZRJk6k6s4mxVpMvJ9zc4TdBdxES32Y_5L62IClrWWY4uBRtwBlzOLj5MlWDnYMTNxss6YmpiOmuFeRQoxtYWniw5W4jE/s1600/Woman+at+harvest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8E6u_npxtH1Mwrl7b4RrJ-4F7b7Pv0NqqxapZKLa_8I6lzopZRJk6k6s4mxVpMvJ9zc4TdBdxES32Y_5L62IClrWWY4uBRtwBlzOLj5MlWDnYMTNxss6YmpiOmuFeRQoxtYWniw5W4jE/s400/Woman+at+harvest.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2012-2013 Harvest season</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2012-2013 Harvest season </td></tr>
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Cinco de Junio is a small cooperative of 146 members in a sleepy hamlet of Las Sabanas in the department of Madriz, Nicaragua. These farmers have worked hard for years to make their coffee into a high quality, Fair Trade Organic bean. </div>
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However, with 80% of their coffee trees approaching 20 years of age (15 is the average lifespan for high volume production) - the members are watching annual incomes decrease as the volume of production decreases. </div>
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<i><a href="http://www.fromthegroundupcommunity.org/">From the Ground Up</a></i> is partnering with <a href="http://www.fabretto.org/">Fabretto Foundation</a> to replenish 4,000 coffee trees and revitalize the land. Since education and empowerment are the keys to sustainability, we will be distributing micro-loans to individual farmers which will be designated for tree-replanting and then repaid to the Cinco de Junio community fund. </div>
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To support this cause, all you need to do is purchase and enjoy the coffee straight from the farmers... 100% of the profits from Cinco de Junio coffee go to the tree replanting project! </div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">BUY COFFEE <a href="http://www.fromthegroundupcommunity.org/buy-coffee.php">HERE</a>.</span></b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-81463933250927245152013-02-06T12:48:00.000-08:002013-02-06T12:48:05.684-08:00Four African Women Who are Changing the Face of Coffee<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeeoZv2LPN5lSiwxsVnRu3xVfQJqCQKbPVuS8gTzHs-aTrZJQZB9U1dgEhRida7AfOK_7OP1OAFjcU1ds4xqhUY-_HnwqCRK-v-n6evYPd_sT6jHEyG_3tBcAxMslqEFOPpY3T6GUBSQ/s1600/4+African+Women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeeoZv2LPN5lSiwxsVnRu3xVfQJqCQKbPVuS8gTzHs-aTrZJQZB9U1dgEhRida7AfOK_7OP1OAFjcU1ds4xqhUY-_HnwqCRK-v-n6evYPd_sT6jHEyG_3tBcAxMslqEFOPpY3T6GUBSQ/s640/4+African+Women.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Karen Castillo Farfan/NPR</td></tr>
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If you're a coffee drinker, chances are the cup of java you drank this morning was made from beans that were produced or harvested by women. Women's handprints can be found at every point in coffee production.</div>
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In fact, on family-owned coffee farms in Africa, about 70 percent of maintenance and harvesting work is done by women, according to an analysis by the International Trade Centre, but only rarely do women own the land or have financial control.</div>
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The <a href="http://womenincoffee.org/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4774cc; font-size: 16px; font: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">International Women's Coffee Alliance</a> (IWCA) is trying to change that by giving them access to training and networking, and the opportunity to develop new trade relationships.</div>
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We sat down recently with four African women on the cusp of change who were on a trip to Washington, D.C., sponsored jointly by the IWCA and the International Trade Centre's <a href="http://www.intracen.org/women-in-coffee/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4774cc; font-size: 16px; font: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Women in Coffee Project</a>. Here are their stories, in brief.</div>
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Angele Ciza of Burundi is ahead of her time; she owns the land she farms on. Her 10-hectare (24.7 acre) coffee plantation in the northern part of the country has some 26,000 trees producing Arabica coffee, and she's also purchased seven washing stations (part of the coffee processing procedure). She's employing about 100 women, and she also helps pay school fees for the children of her employees.</div>
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"We work very, very hard," says Ciza. Her vision for lifting more people out of poverty in her region is clear. "If you want to develop Burundi, you develop the women," she says.</div>
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<i><b>Read the rest of this article on <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/11/07/164347078/meet-four-african-women-who-are-changing-the-face-of-coffee">NPR</a></b></i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-5097620435926624002012-11-15T17:02:00.001-08:002013-02-07T10:19:21.036-08:00Welcoming FTGU's Project Coordinator <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhLYYXUFYcyNeiwWqTB_UtonQ4Tt0ro6PWJgtHheKxoiEpAqrt1yNfmKho99jXUKaSK1Dv-Ucl1MmvQVI-F4Az8wLpph2QoRBWm0PijjW1k3WbmlAcN_ufXp6YXlah3AU1t6XGhhoI_so/s1600/Bhavin's+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhLYYXUFYcyNeiwWqTB_UtonQ4Tt0ro6PWJgtHheKxoiEpAqrt1yNfmKho99jXUKaSK1Dv-Ucl1MmvQVI-F4Az8wLpph2QoRBWm0PijjW1k3WbmlAcN_ufXp6YXlah3AU1t6XGhhoI_so/s320/Bhavin's+photo.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
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From the Ground Up has a new Project Coordinator, Bhavin Trivedi, who will be assessing the needs, goals, and willingness of three coffee-growing communities in Nicaragua and looking for opportunities to start sustainable projects in Esteli and Matagalpa.<br />
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Bhavin hails from New Jersey, married a Colombian and is living in Managua. He is truly a Jack-of-all-Trades, with a background in consulting, management, sales, and engineering. <br />
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He enjoys dark roast coffee and his fantasy travel destination is Karakoram Mountains (by bus).<br />
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We are excited to have him on our team, be moving forward with the research stage and excited to start helping isolated and impoverished coffee growers!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-68256369950439675212012-08-01T14:43:00.001-07:002012-08-01T14:43:29.236-07:00Job OpeningA recent turn of events has me (Emily) expecting a baby and unable to live in Central America for three months during my first pregnancy. This leaves From the Ground Up with a huge need to get some hands on deck in Nicaragua as a Programs Assessment Coordinator! The position will be posted on idealist.org within the next two weeks!<br />
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It is a bittersweet time as I would love to travel and see the faces of some isolated and resilient Latino coffee farmers, but I am thrilled to open the amazing opportunity to others.<br />
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We are looking forward to hearing back from the IRS regarding our 501(c)3 status so that we can start fundraising, selling coffee, and gearing up our programs into full-throttle. In the mean time, From the Ground Up is excited to do an assessment of three communities that have been recommended to us as the most isolated and impoverished coffee farmers. This way, we will be able to understand what the community WANTS and NEEDS rather than assuming we know what's best. Hopefully, this will build a strong foundation of understanding, strong relationships, and open communication.<br />
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I'm looking forward to see what the rest of 2012 has in store! Please let us know if you know someone who would be an awesome Programs Assessment Coordinator:)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-21867092656290727922012-05-03T08:37:00.001-07:002012-05-03T08:37:21.591-07:00Trip Postponed<br />
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<i>Thank you for all being so kind and supportive this week! </i></div>
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After canceling the trip to Guatemala on Monday, we received an email from Richard's old neighbor who lives in Antigua that said the area that I wanted to go to (alone) is very dangerous and many locals avoid the region due to the Mexican drug trade spilling into Guatemala. Not only that, but many websites warn against even going to Guatemala City (50% of the nation's murders take place there). </div>
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I'm not sure what this will do to the post-poned trip, however, coffee is grown in eight major regions in Guatemala and so many farmers are still living below the poverty line. I am hoping (and so excited!) to launch diversification projects, micro-financed small enterprises, and value-adding training to isolated coffee communities.</div>
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In the meantime, we are looking for methods to be a self-sustaining organization here in the US to keep the International programs funded: </div>
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1. Bicycle coffee cart</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWmj2i51h4E7otfjsDU1kt2PQE7K7YIS7RRVnz3tsRJMWvxn2UF76Djzf-aQHA04v0V-xJJv72VvhHpuJVOewdTSYzSRa5cT6QgfBHKDqgCAjg7TkVZF6f9hNNwvVY_iDahXTrP1f-m2u/s1600/bike+cafe+cart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWmj2i51h4E7otfjsDU1kt2PQE7K7YIS7RRVnz3tsRJMWvxn2UF76Djzf-aQHA04v0V-xJJv72VvhHpuJVOewdTSYzSRa5cT6QgfBHKDqgCAjg7TkVZF6f9hNNwvVY_iDahXTrP1f-m2u/s320/bike+cafe+cart.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken from <a href="http://www.bikecaffe.com/">Bike Caffe</a></td></tr>
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2. Selling coffee by the pound (already on our <a href="http://www.fromthegroundupcommunity.org/">website</a>)</div>
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3. Coffee truck (mostly for winter or bad weather days) </div>
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4. Selling re-usable coffee bags for bulk coffee- like this one: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXal54WR-0YY8vCmRhVF-iMGMWn9RLZo2bf1bo2D6wAT1Ym1adULXOY-_61PvGyTvZr1am5rVgomTaZApbMeDOrGL90U3CeKAX8iw3QxZ6I0Tls6ULY2HMp7PPfZhU_yo_1zcIS9humjo/s1600/Reusable+Coffee+bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXal54WR-0YY8vCmRhVF-iMGMWn9RLZo2bf1bo2D6wAT1Ym1adULXOY-_61PvGyTvZr1am5rVgomTaZApbMeDOrGL90U3CeKAX8iw3QxZ6I0Tls6ULY2HMp7PPfZhU_yo_1zcIS9humjo/s200/Reusable+Coffee+bag.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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Life sure is an adventure, isn't it? </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-37563016851246930512012-04-24T09:46:00.003-07:002012-04-24T09:46:45.738-07:00Caffeinating Portland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Urban Dictionary's definition: </div>
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1. <i>Caffeinating</i>: The act of loading up on caffeine. </div>
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<i>"Raura's currently caffeinating in the break room."</i></div>
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Last week was the SPECIALTY COFFEE ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL EVENT in Portland, Oregon where coffee gurus from all over the world come to discuss, learn, advise, and network about all things coffee. I decided to go to a few lectures and of course, the Expo floor. More to come on that later. Some highlights of the trip include: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvt7cT6OYVWpbN3NWVhm15yT8llcyXvg9BwwI-zBraJz-z6ge7BkRG9KSTOf2F6B1lYLPyKZ8Dzn5mKl0vJiFBT1Y2Og7J0JDFyQ0TmMdMFPg6tw64B38V0814Z6_0zz_pENjLRFL1Tg/s1600/IMG_1082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvt7cT6OYVWpbN3NWVhm15yT8llcyXvg9BwwI-zBraJz-z6ge7BkRG9KSTOf2F6B1lYLPyKZ8Dzn5mKl0vJiFBT1Y2Og7J0JDFyQ0TmMdMFPg6tw64B38V0814Z6_0zz_pENjLRFL1Tg/s320/IMG_1082.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Latte Art Throwdown in Portland's Convention Center... these were pretty amazing works of art considering they had a few beers on stage with them. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJI0s6jXFDdRJCdLheFmYLGu7DS2fczQdaJ6ezWn76tddCfZsXEelW0VuvG2B0BKKc_ODLPjL_PAd0GiSs24cF-8gDWndHK5C-kNYHfbk3sY9vre_c2uxdD4HvC30CW8tRPuzvDGJIos/s1600/IMG_1078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJI0s6jXFDdRJCdLheFmYLGu7DS2fczQdaJ6ezWn76tddCfZsXEelW0VuvG2B0BKKc_ODLPjL_PAd0GiSs24cF-8gDWndHK5C-kNYHfbk3sY9vre_c2uxdD4HvC30CW8tRPuzvDGJIos/s320/IMG_1078.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We were NOT prepared for the weather. The forecast should just read, "Rainy...Always."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHrRrl4hcuryGpggTPo2lU9taFhpLgURM4yVw4BlufyakG-cqOmsxsWulnFe7Qco7sJyl9BZlBx4qLnUV5uYBLc-HM0Qa8ndAJxNAGNnb7DV2Oo45ktbSwn7ngOSUzPIcvpIV6euijHA/s1600/IMG_1083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHrRrl4hcuryGpggTPo2lU9taFhpLgURM4yVw4BlufyakG-cqOmsxsWulnFe7Qco7sJyl9BZlBx4qLnUV5uYBLc-HM0Qa8ndAJxNAGNnb7DV2Oo45ktbSwn7ngOSUzPIcvpIV6euijHA/s320/IMG_1083.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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A surprise guest spoke at the Opening Ceremonies: <i>Mr. President of Honduras!</i> Porfirio Lobo Sosa gave a lovely speech about coffee growing in his country and the families that are dedicated to the trade. He was speaking in his native language while the transcriber put his script on the big screen, which was pretty off, so the Spanish-speakers would laugh at a joke and then 20 seconds later the non-Spanish speakers would read it and laugh! Always fun. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc4fNoK9vhMkjB5w8nkSoKvOG9CUU6y8aYxudHAYb9a6aB1IoyrdxE8WWPMlm9e0A8d0LY-CWkyWk1X0ZErYGDkx-80mNbIxt82SO7moD2dDMT874Qos0WxBITIT-Ci9KFInDDsBZJsY/s1600/ftgu+logo+jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc4fNoK9vhMkjB5w8nkSoKvOG9CUU6y8aYxudHAYb9a6aB1IoyrdxE8WWPMlm9e0A8d0LY-CWkyWk1X0ZErYGDkx-80mNbIxt82SO7moD2dDMT874Qos0WxBITIT-Ci9KFInDDsBZJsY/s200/ftgu+logo+jpeg.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Also, our logo and <a href="http://www.fromthegroundupcommunity.org/">website</a> are complete! Thank you Karen at Good Work Group for doing an<i> amazing</i> job!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032069640502492414.post-45982468057067648382012-04-19T10:59:00.000-07:002012-04-19T10:59:21.552-07:00A fresh start<div style="text-align: center;">A few years ago I did a self-planned internship in Guatemala at a fair trade coffee plantation in the Western Highlands to learn about coffee growing and write my thesis on Fair Trade certification for my undergrad in Global Studies. In a little town called Columba, down a long, windy, dirt road, I found myself in a community called Santa Anita where 36 families made their living growing and selling coffee. They all lived in concrete houses with tin roofs, cooking over an open fire, and siting on the dirt floor. Since it was not harvest season, many men were looking for temporary work in bigger cities.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqnd2ZxS7qIB9pTGpN0GNk9wT7tfUGXIroYD7WF9-nUVz9xtFstjsMBXfnmcWpuR7dv7yRSIsYjA-v2o7nj-lje_1QCAnmoxfRwpaHA5GCCBhcimOz2O644Uadl1p-hclJiHNxpPYo4M/s1600/boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqnd2ZxS7qIB9pTGpN0GNk9wT7tfUGXIroYD7WF9-nUVz9xtFstjsMBXfnmcWpuR7dv7yRSIsYjA-v2o7nj-lje_1QCAnmoxfRwpaHA5GCCBhcimOz2O644Uadl1p-hclJiHNxpPYo4M/s320/boys.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Jump forward three years, and I find myself trying to help those same farmers raise their quality of life, stay with their families, and give their children more opportunities. <i>From the Ground Up</i> is a not-for-profit organization that connects coffee growing communities to micro loans, assists in increasing the value of their product, and executes sustainable community projects for diversification.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsy35YIuFhlq_Gqn45Ts5QzNfWA2F9CiPfy74Qg7-oTHOwjo303F-484t9h9PFbYKD8XayRJ-0DC3v1yLOIfQH9LqwNvJl6FzKO8raa4sLCYBEmlD7DdwPGPub0uYbkKonpX7jC3m1w2M/s1600/santa+anita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsy35YIuFhlq_Gqn45Ts5QzNfWA2F9CiPfy74Qg7-oTHOwjo303F-484t9h9PFbYKD8XayRJ-0DC3v1yLOIfQH9LqwNvJl6FzKO8raa4sLCYBEmlD7DdwPGPub0uYbkKonpX7jC3m1w2M/s320/santa+anita.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We want to help the farmers, not create jobs for ourselves. That is why we are all unpaid. Yes, ALL volunteers. To us, sustainable development doesn't mean dependence on foreign organizations. We plan to lead coffee growers to opportunities, not hand-outs. That is the plan. PLEASE help us further our mission by sharing YOUR advice, experience, suggestions with us. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Cheers, Emily</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0