July Coffee News

We're all a bit tired today because we went to a drive-in movie last night and didn't get to bed until 2:00 am. The first movie was Wall-E -- which, with its environmental theme, seemed appropriate to be viewing outside under the stars. However, I was surprised to find tears welling up in my eyes at the end -- probably I was just extremely tired -- but I think I was also moved by the desolate image of our planet in the movie. Planet Earth completely devoid of life and covered with garbage, a few remaining overweight humans on auto-pilot in outer space who have forgotten even what plants look like or how to walk (or dance). Perhaps it was also especially poignant for me having just returned from Honduras where we spent so much time surrounded by the lush vibrant rain forest of the coffee farm.

Our June Trip to Honduras
We did have a great trip. Probably one of our best yet. As usual we spent lots of time chatting with Guillermo's large family and plenty of relaxing time up in the mountains enjoying the view, splashing in the cold mountain stream, reading in hammocks, exploring the wild forest and touring the more orderly coffee fields. We've updated our website blog with many more details, including entries on an 800 year old tree, making tamales, Abilio's "eco-casitas", and more. We've sprinkled a few photos throughout the blog entries, but haven't yet added new photos in the gallery section. Hopefully soon.

Passionate for Planet Earth
Hanging out with Guillermo's brother Abilio is always inspirational because he is so passionate about the place in which he lives and continually trying to live and farm in a way that protects the environment. He showed us barrels filled with home "brewed" soil additives and pest controls from plants and minerals naturally found in the forest that he learned how to make at a training seminar for the fledgling coffee producers cooperative he is a member of. We talked about how we might support some of his coffee farmer neighbors in that cooperative in their efforts to farm organically by purchasing some of their 2009 coffee harvest. We toured the three cabins Abilio rents out to tourists and talked about his and Bertilia's vision for bringing visitors to this beautiful place and building an economy for the community based on eco-tourism. We talked about the world's larger problems of global climate change and water shortages (I highly recommend a riveting article I read in Orion while we were traveling). And we reflected again about the amazing abundance of fresh clean water that flows freely through their property and that also holds the potential for generating clean electricity.

We came back, rested and relaxed and more committed then ever to work for the planet through our coffee sales and our day-to-day life choices.