August 2013 Coffee News

-Global Coffee Prices
-Climate Action - Community Building

Just in time for National Night Out next week, the weather here in Minnesota is absolutely perfect for hanging outside chatting with neighbors. There are several gatherings planned for our neighborhood and we hope you'll have a chance to hang out with friends, family and neighbors whereever you live as well. Below we share resources for connecting in your community and give an update on global coffee prices (our prices are staying the same).

Coffee News
You may remember that coffee prices spiked a few years ago. There was talk about "peak coffee" and fears prices would stay high. Now global prices are back down again, low enough that farmers in Brazil, at least, are protesting by burning their coffee. A former Honduran Peace Corp volunteer that our family knows sent us a link to an interesting article from The Economist that explores global coffee prices. The decline in prices is blamed on an increase in lower quality robusta coffee beans being grown by farmers in Vietnam and Indonesia and bumper harvests in Brazil. The article claims that "much of the finest coffee is grown in Central America" but since "that region has been hit by leaf rust, a fungal disease, which could destoy 30% of the crop this year" prices of higher quality arabica coffee from that region will remain relatively strong.

Thankfully, our direct trade business model keeps us mostly unaffected by the market's global roller coaster. Our family's latest coffee harvest (made up of high quality arabica varieties such as Catuai, Catura, Catimor, Lempira and a little bit of Gesha and Cafe 90) is currently being prepared for shipping and should arrive in Minnesota in the next month or so, regardless of what happens to coffee prices elsewhere. If you are curious about coffee varieties and where they are grown check out this list of coffee varieties complete with a map of coffee production and a "family tree" of arabica coffee varieties and hybrids.

Climate Action - Community Building
National Night Out was originally started 30 years ago to combat crime. Not surprisingly, community networks have also been found by social science researchers to be essential for responding to natural disasters and other catastrophes. As a result, community building is key to many efforts to respond to a changing climate and transition to a fossil free economy. Here are a few resources we've run across to help build your own strong community network.

• Attend a National Night Out gathering in your neighborhood next Tuesday, August 6. Minneapolis and St. Paul both have strong participation. (St. Paul was even awarded #1 nationwide in 2012!)
• Join (or start) a neighborhood email list. E-Democracy has online forums representing over 30 St. Paul and Minneapolis neighborhoods. If you are outside that area check out NextDoor.com or start a Facebook group with your neighbors.
• Check out the Center for a New American Dream for their Community Action Kit which includes a Guide to Sharing and a Guide to Going Local for lots of great ideas like tool libraries, clothing swaps, time banks, solar cooperatives, buying and investing locally and more.
• Be inspired knowing that your local efforts are being joined by people across the planet. Get an exciting update from the international climate movement at globalpowershift.org.

Now get off your computer and get outside to meet your neighbors!