Sustainable applies to fund raisers who want to use fair trade organic coffee products, grown under ideal conditions, generating fair pricing, giving coffee farmers a way to support their schools, housing and a have better life.

Less chemicals means less water for growing shade-grown, fairly traded, organic coffee which, although slow to develop, results in better quality, and good flavour.

Pistol and BURNES fundraising  - committed to bird friendly, fairly traded, organic products.

You can’t afford to wait – Call Now! 1-888-547-9309 – your donors will thank you.

Organic coffee varieties are usually sold with following labels:

• Organic Shade Grown Coffee: grown in natural or artificial shade
• Organic Bird Friendly Coffee: does not harm environment
• Organic Gourmet Coffee: has a particular flavour & taste
• Organic Kona Coffee: grown in Kona region of Hawaii
• Organic Fair Trade Coffee: sold through Fair Trade Organizations
• Organic Decaf Coffee: decaffeinated

Organic tea varieties can be found with the following labels:

Organic Black Tea: organically grown and fermented tea                              Organic Green Tea: non-fermented organic tea with following varieties

• Organic Gyokurocha: leaves picked from the tip of branches
• Organic Sencha: bigger leaves picked from the middle of branches
• Organic Bancha: tender twigs & bigger leaves tea plant
• Organic Matcha: dust of organic Gyokurocha or/and organic Sencha
• Organic Houjicha: organic green tea & powdered/roasted organic cereals.
• Organic Genmaicha: organic green tea & powdered/roasted organic brown rice
• Organic Decaf Black/Green Tea: Decaffeinated Organic Black or Green Tea

There are lots of decaffeinated coffees and teas to deal with caffeine, and as well, the presence of chemical residues and pesticides can be avoided with organic coffee and tea. Coffee Joe says both organic coffee and tea can be recognized as being the unsung heroes for helping to build a healthy society, a cleaner environment, and fostering an increasing awareness towards an eco-friendly earth on the global markets and economies.

CJ wants to give you a little piece of advice – if you are buying coffee or tea, try organic coffee and tea. The sooner you start, the better off everyone of us will be.

What about iced coffee? CJ researched the web, consulted his beverage books, bar ingredients, and came up with the following recipes:

Iced Coffee With a Twist

Photo by Joanne Choi

1)      Brew a pot of strong organic coffee (dark roasts are best)

2)      Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

3)      When it has cooled, pour some into ice cube trays and freeze.

4)      When the coffee ice cubes are ready, pour the cold coffee over.

5)      Add organic mocha chocolate sprinkles on top.

6)      Serve in a tall, frosted glass

Or try this one:

Iced Cafe Au Lait

Photo by K.G. Toh

1)      Brew a cup of strong organic coffee (dark roasts are best)

2)      One cup chilled skim milk

3)      1 tablespoon nondairy whipped topping

4)      Pinch of ground cinnamon

5)      1/2 teaspoon vanilla

6)      Combine vanilla and milk with coffee. Pour the mixture over ice, and top with whipped topping and a pinch of ground cinnamon. Serves 2.

Enjoy and let Coffee Joe know if these organic coffee recipes tickle your taste buds.

________________________________________________________

Coffee Joe Says: “When we drink coffee, ideas march in like the army”  ~Honore de Balzac~

________________________________________________________

The old adage, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again” is more true than ever. CJ says to never be afraid of failure so much that you won’t try a new idea. The worst summary of fundraising:- we could have tried this, it might have worked, and we definitely should have done it.

In an earlier post, Coffee Joe gave the seven tips to organic fundraising. As well, it’s never too late to:

1)      Review your policies – make a note of what worked and what didn’t.

2)      Note the volunteers who campaigned the hardest and who didn’t.

3)      List the donors who were unavailable today; call them next time.

4)      List the the donors who donate every year despite the  economy

5)      Decide which products were the most popular with your customers.

6)      Follow up before the next fundraiser

A public thank you is always appreciated, and accountability never goes out of style.

________________________________________________________________________

Coffee Joe Says: “The mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work unless it’s open.” ~anonymous~

__________________________________________________________

Landlocked Bolivia

Through to the 21st Century, when in the elections held in December of 2005, Evo Morales and the socialist MAS party obtained a victory with 54% of the vote, becoming the first Native Bolivian president in history. In February 2009 a new constitution was enacted by Evo Morales. This gave Bolivians of indigenous descent more economic and political rights.

As one would expect, all this turmoil affected coffee production. In Bolivia 95% of coffee production is in the rural areas of the Yungas, but other growing regions are Santa Cruz, Beni, Cochabamba, Tarija, and Pando.

While there are large commercial farms, land reforms have expropriated most of the large landholdings and redistributed them back to rural farming families. These small plots range from 1-8 hectares and produce between 85-95% of Bolivia’s coffee, most of which is the Arabica variety and grown organically at an altitude of 600-2,200 ft. above sea level.

“Death Road” – dangerous transportation

Bolivia has altitude, fertile soil, and a consistent rainy season, but problems of rugged terrain and a lack of communication and technology make coffee quality control almost impossible. The green coffee beans had to be sent along “Death Road”, a dangerous mountain road, when they were prepared but not fully dry. This resulted in some strange flavours, but recently, funding from various outside agencies has helped to establish co-ops in rural areas, and since 2006 the road has been upgraded and modernized. Coffee farmers have the means to ensure quality, value, provide more community jobs, and be able to tap into the organic global market. Properly processed, the coffee has a full, fruity taste.

However, like its past, Bolivia’s future is still uncertain, but hopeful.

Pistol and Burnes likes to be part of the solution. Several of our fairly traded organic coffees from Bolivia are featured below. Please click on one of the images for more information or to order.

Jim Calhoun/Artist

1)      The Set Up – whether rods, reels or a tin boat, you need the tools to be successful. In fundraising, that means a good location, accountability and enthusiasm.

2)      The Strong Leader – without the strength that the leader gives, the flyfishing adventure would be a disaster. Your fundraiser needs strong direction and leadership.

3)      The Suitable Fly – pick the one that is adaptable for the area and lake. In raising funds, you need to choose the product that best reflects your cause – such as organic coffee, tea or cocoa.

4)      The Perfect Cast – pull the line slowly to start, then a quick finish. Volunteers are the backbone of fundraising – they usually have little experience in the beginning but with a little help, become your greatest asset.

5)      The Presentation – all flies are colourful, well made, and lure the trout to the surface. In fundraising, you need eycatching brochures, posters and promotion to ensure the donors come to you.

6)      The Prize – a silver trout is caught and released for sustainable fishing. Your fundraising public will come back time and time again if you follow the tale of the trout.

Coffee Joe is back at work, merrily posting away, and dreaming up new ideas for you. So, stay in the boat, relax and follow us upstream.

Also grown, but on the low lying areas, by large commercial plantations, is the robusta coffee. This coffee is used in low grade instant and cheap supermarket brands. Through the years, it has been partially responsible for the deforestation and devastation of the land along with foreign pulp and paper corporations.

During his research, CJ discovered that most of Sumatra used to be covered by a tropical rainforest, but a fast economic expansion, corruption and illegal logging has become a threat. In 2008, areas were put aside for conservation and protection by the ruling government but it has not been a deterrent from wholesale destruction.

According to the statistics published by CNN, the island has lost 85% of its rainforest since 1985, and many of the remaining natural, native species are endangered. A new initiative,  is supposed to address the problems and issues facing a disappearing Sumatra.

However, Coffee Joe says experts agree it may be too late.

Later, everyone remarked that the coffee was as good as usual. Coffee Joe informed them they were drinking decaf. No one could believe it until he actually showed them the compostable coffee bag. Well, a lot of discussion ensued, and finally they all agreed they couldn’t really tell the difference.

Do you know the difference? Organic decaf is made several ways, but the most beneficial and healthy process is Swiss Water. The green beans are soaked in a water bath and the resulting loss of caffeine comes in at slightly more than 90%. This means you can drink more without the side effects, but moderation is still the key.

The Swiss Water method will ensure you are truly drinking organic coffee. It still has great taste, smells wonderful and treats your body well. What could be better? Get over the stigma of decaf and try some. You’ll probably be as surprised as the people at Coffee Joe’s party.

People will go miles out of their way to find just the perfect organic blend. Or, like you, they will take a little extra time in their morning commute driving to their coffee shop that treats them like family. You sit down at your favorite table, the barista looks up, knows your brew, and has the server deliver it steaming, right to you. Of course it’s organic, and fresh from the roaster. You deserve nothing but the best.

Behind the scenes that produced your morning cup, the local coffee company first procured the finest green coffee beans. The roast master then emptied them into the hopper, set the dials, and carefully watched over the coffee beans as they were roasted to perfection. Afterwards, they were poured into great vats to degas, put into another hopper and bagged to the specifications of the customers. It takes time and effort to produce a superior coffee.

Don’t settle for anything less, and you can respect it all the more in the morning.

Organic coffee – starting from the shade-grown forest protecting the early plants, to the warm sunshine promoting growth, to the high altitudes fostering slow maturity – is a product of ying and yang. Each condition helps the other. At the end of each relationship, you have an organic product worthy of both your wallet and your conscience. Now, because balance has been maintained, the organic cycle can begin all over again.

CJ discovered that the earth on an organic coffee farm is made up of decomposed, natural materials, which along with the rotation of other crops, composting, and the elimination of harmful chemicals results in a healthier soil. Ying and Yang. This in turn prevents water pollution, offers a secure home for migratory birds, and a beverage you can drink without dire consequences.

Balance is what it’s all about. Back to basics – if the coffee farmer looks after the soil, it will repay him indefinitely. If he doesn’t, it won’t repay him at all.

Coffee Joe says look at this organic coffee bean – at the split in the middle. Ying and Yang. Balance.

________________________________________________________

Coffee Joe Says:  With enough coffee, anything is possible.

__________________________________________________