What's Brewing

"No one has gone poor by giving." - Anne Frank.    Coffee parties are some of the most enjoyable and easygoing types of gatherings, now imagine creating a positive impact in your community by raising funds through a coffee party. It may sound ambitious, but here are some simple and practical ideas on how to make this a reality.  The Party   The beauty of coffee parties is that they can remain intimate even if you invite a large crowd. Given that the goal is to raise funds, invite plenty! You could “charge” people to come, with them knowing that...

  Farm life has been taking over Instagram. There's plenty of successful accounts depicting the beauty and peace of life in the countryside. Many of these accounts use the platform to promote their own products or even use social media accounts as another cow to be milked as they are equally if not more profitable.  Industrial coffee plantations are factory looking buildings often disrupting the flora surrounding them (except for this industrial beauty I found in Brazil), but the small farms we work with are family homes filled with charm and comfort.  Clay From architecture to pottery, clay is a...

They say that if the coffee is good, you can drink it black. This testament to black coffee is tested daily at coffee farms, where tinto is the coffee of choice. It’s meant to be done with the cheaper low quality beans, but coming from farmers who take pride in every bean, their lowest quality bean is not too bad. The grounded beans are heated in a pot with water and later filtered through a piece of cloth. As simple as that. Sometimes, cinnamon and cloves can be added to the pan for an extra kick and panela (sugar cane...

Life is good, isn’t it? And it is the small thoughtful details that make it good. Here are some pillars and small habits that raise the quality of a coffee farmer’s life and can do as much good to yours.  Follow the natural rhythm of the day There's a pride in being hardworking and dedicated. We praise people willing to stay up at night and burn the late night candle in an attempt to be prolific. While there is merit to this, as a habit, staying up working until late hours is more likely going to have a negative impact...

Picture this, you wake up after a Christmas Eve celebration. There is the joy and cheer of Christmas all around but you are probably tired and moving slowly. It is in between last night’s party and the party to come. Christmas morning is that cherished unique pocket in time and here are some tips to make it the best time for you and your loved ones.  The Coffee Clearly the drink of choice given that you may need the caffeine to keep up with the energy level due to the celebration, but you may also need all the help one...

Globalization has crossed many Christmas traditions for the best. The Christmas tree, an originally German tradition going back to Germany’s conversion to Christianity was popularized throughout the world after Queen Victoria, who reigned in England but was born and raised in Germany, put a Christmas tree at Buckingham Palace. Pine trees were a symbol of life and hope as they flourished and endured the toughest of winters. The idea of setting up a pine tree at home symbolizing eternal life and the hope that brings the birth of Christ caught on like wildfire throughout the world and has endured for...