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Organic coffee|| Shade Grown || Certifications
Glossary Terms:
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Arabica ~~
Common Name: Coffee, Arabian Coffee, Arabica Coffee
Family: Rubiaceae Juss.
Country of Origin: Tropical Africa
Description: A relative of the gardenia and Ixora, it is an attractive
shrub with glossy evergreen leaves. It prefers light shade, is hardy to
28°F and can be used as a potted specimen, though some varieties grow
into large trees. The flowers are white, star-like, fragrant, in axillary
clusters which appear in the spring. The beans are red when ripe, with
a sweet pulp surrounding the bean.
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
SubClass: Asteridae
Order: Rubiales
Family: Rubiaceae
More on Arabica ~~
Arabica coffee is grown at altitudes over 2,000 (usually 4,000-6,000)
feet above sea level and is typically harvested by hand when the cherries
are perfectly ripe. Robusta has continued
its share in the market due to its disease resistance and ability to grow
below 2,000 feet. Robusta beans are inferior to Arabica beans in flavor,
and they are often used in inexpensive instant coffee blends. Robusta
coffee has almost twice the caffeine of Arabica coffee. Italians often
will use a very small amount of Robusta coffee to increase crema and to
tone down the acidity of the Arabica coffees.
Arabica represents approximately 70 percent of the world's coffee production.
The arabica plant is a large evergreen bush with dark green, oval shaped
leaves that can reach a height up to 20 feet.
On plantations it is kept at a height of about 2-3 meters to facilitate
harvesting. After planting, arabica trees produce their first crop in
three years. The arabica plant can successfully produce fruits for about
40 years. Primary, non-renewable branches grow from the trunk at an average
distance of 15 cm.
The plants have taproots that are not very deep. The bright green leaves
are shiny on top and dark on the underside; the branches carry bouquets
of 5-10 small, white flowers with 5 petals with an odoriferous fragrance
that spreads over the plantations. The flowers give way to the coffee
cherries of oval shape with two beans side-by-side. Each tree can produce
8-10 pounds of coffee a year, depending on climate conditions and other
factors.
The Legend ~~
The most widely cited legend about the discovery of coffee is that of
the goat-herd Kalid who noticed that his goats pranced excitedly after
chewing berries from coffee bushes that he also tasted and enjoyed their
stimulating effect. A monk who found Kalid in that invigorated state also
tasted the cherries and took some and planted the seeds in the vicinity
of his monastery near Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile River. He
roasted and brewed the harvested coffee cherries and tried out the beverage
on his brethren. As a result they were kept awake during their long prayers
at night. Coffee was accepted as a stimulant drink.
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Caffeine
~~
The species of the plant and the geographic region and altitude of growth
determine a coffee's caffeine content. Robusta coffees, for example, normally
have twice the caffeine content of Arabica coffees. A five-ounce cup of
coffee will contain 75 to 155 milligrams of caffeine.
Informational Note: Normally the denser beans grown at high altitudes
have a lower caffeine content, as do darker roasted coffees. It is important
to note that all Arabica coffees are naturally about 98.5% caffeine-free
because they contain 1-1.5% caffeine by weight. To qualify as decaffeinated,
however, they must have 97% of this 1-1.5% removed. |
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Coffee
~~
Coffee is the seed of a berry from a tree, which grows in a narrow sub-tropical
belt. Coffee comes from the Latin form of the genus Coffea. Coffee in
Turkish is pronounced “kahveh”, the name of the infusion, or
beverage; said by Arab lexicographers to have originally meant “wine”
or some kind of wine, and to originate from the verb translated as “to
have no appetite”.
Coffee is a tropical plant, which grows between the Tropic of Cancer
and the Tropic of Capricorn. It requires very specific environmental conditions:
temperature, rainfall, sunlight, wind and soils, good drainage and mineral
content.
Cultivation of coffee trees begins with planting the seeds in soil and
then seeds are kept in green houses for 9 to 18 months, until they reach
a height up to 18 inches. After that, young plants are transplanted to
permanent groves. It takes a year for the plant to reach just 30 centimeters
tall. After four years they reach maturity.
Coffee plants bear fruit in lines along their branches. The fruit turns
red like a cherry and it is time to be harvested. Indigenous trees are
traditionally grown in a compatible way nearby, to keep the coffee trees
and developing fruit from the sun. The modern techniques use irrigation
systems and fertilizers. Small forest clearings are the best place to
grow coffee.
There are about 20 major species within Coffea, but the typical coffee
beverage is likely to be familiar with just two: Coffea Arabica and Coffea
Robusta. Arabica is autogamous, that is to say, capable of fertilizing
itself, whereas Robusta is allogamous.
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Costa
Rican ~~
Coffee arrived in this Central American Country toward the end of the
18th century. More than seventy percent of the coffee production comes
from the high mountains whose altitudes range from 1,000 to 1,700 meters
above sea level. Tesoros Del Sol™ brand coffee is from the central
volcanic highlands of Costa Rica. At these altitudes, the temperature
fluctuates between 17 and 23 degrees centigrade. Sunlight is stable and
rain fall optimal, the sum total of which ensures an environment as regulated
and favorable as that of a green house. A side note of interest regarding
the pride this country takes in its coffee: Costa Rica is the only country
where, by edict, only the Arabica varieties of coffee bean may be planted. |
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Gourmet
~~
Coffee that is made from the finest beans. This handle applies almost
exclusively to the arabica varieties, and then only the finest of this
type. |
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Organic
~~
The term 'organic' is bantered about quite abit on our chemically beleaguered
planet. Unfortunately, its use is frequently nothing more than a catch-word
to stimulate sales and doesn't have any basis in fact. 'Truly Organic' indicates
that there have been no chemicals used in the cultivating of a product,
and that this fact has been documented and certified by a third party certifier
for three years running.
Please click here for more on organic coffee.
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Shade
Grown ~~
Traditional shade-coffee plantations provide natural wintering habitat for
many migratory songbirds, including a number of the Audubon Society's Watch
List species, as well as a diversity of other wildlife, insects and plants.
Watch List species that use tropical-region shade-coffee plantations during
our winter season include the cerulean, golden-winged, hermit, and Kentucky
warblers, the painted bunting, and the wood thrush.
Shade plantations, in addition to being distinctly more bird-friendly,
produce a high-quality, great-tasting cup of coffee by slowing the maturation
of the coffee bean on the plant, allowing the bean to develop better flavor.
That's the good news.
The bad news is that more and more coffee growers have been converting
their farms to 'sun' plantations, where the rainforest is cut down to
make way for more coffee trees. In addition to removing vital habitat
for many migratory songbirds, these 'sun' farms require extensive use
of synthetic pesticides, produce water pollution, and cause erosion of
fragile tropical soil.
Coffee drinkers can now make the choice to protect bird habitats, our
natural environment and traditional farm communities, while still enjoying
a great cup of coffee. Buying only certified shade-grown coffee will help
ensure that the warblers, thrushes and other birds we see and hear today
will still be around for the next generation enjoying their morning cup
of coffee.
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Certified
~~
For the connoisseur of organic coffee, the term "Certified"
is vital. The multinational nature of coffee agriculture results in a
tremendous amount of fraudulent claims. There are far more marketed "organic"
coffee brands than their are actually certified organic brands. To be
truly organic, a national recognized certifying organization needs to
be used. After passing their stringent, and oftentimes expensive tests,
their symbol will be displayed prominently on the packaging as well as
any promotional materials such as brochures, web-sites, etc...
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Fair
Farming Practices ~~
"Fair Farming Practices" have been a concern for a long time.
It is the practice of applying a premium to the price a small coffee farmer
is paid in order to ensure he derives a "living wage" from his
work regardless of the market conditions that traditionally drive the
price of coffee, and to assist him in developing more sustainable growing
practices, increasing the quality and value of his coffee and, consequently,
the quality of life for him and his family. It's very much like a minimum
wage. |
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High
Altitude ~~
Coffee that is grown at above 3,900 ft. The superior arabica bean requires
this altitude. Some varieties are grown up to 6,300 ft. Robusta can be
grown in lower elevations but has an inferior flavor and is generally
less expensive to purchase. |
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Reforestation ~~
It is an interesting fact how reforestation enters into the coffee picture.
Coffee cultivation has on occassion been to blame for cutting down the
forests. The lucrative farming of coffee motivated the farmer to cut down
the forests and thus increase his land for coffee production. Funny thing
though, coffee is an under-story plant, meaning that in the jungle scheme
of things, it grows under the canopy in the shade. So one does not need
to cut down the forest to cultivate coffee. Reforestation is intimately
tied in with "shade grown" and as the Audubon Society has dubbed it, "Bird
Friendly".
Costa Rica is in a very agressive period of reforestation. There are some
beautiful resources on the web that deal with the practice, one of our
favorites is:
Finca Leola
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Skal
~~
Certification program for organic production.
Skal has been active in the organic production sector since 1985. At that
time an increasing interest in organic products resulted in an increase
in demand and supply. However, the concept of organic was not clearly
defined. This caused uncertainty in the market and resulted in unfair
competition, which did not help build consumer confidence in the organic
origin and quality of the products, essential for products being presented
in this way. The need for clear standards, independent inspection and
a recognizable quality symbol led to the foundation of Skal.
Participation in the Skal certification system for organic production
methods entitles you to use the EKO-quality symbol. Since 1993, this right
to use the EKO-quality symbol has been linked to the standards for organic
production.
Skal applies public and private law criteria to agricultural, processing
and import businesses. The Council of the European Communities is responsible
for specifying the public law conditions. The private law conditions are
specified by the Skal Board of Directors with advice being provided by
the Skal Advisory Council acting as a Central Panel of Experts.
Skal performs national and international inspections on:
~~The organic production of plants (agriculture, processing & imports)
is based on the Decree on the Agricultural Quality of Organic Production
Methods. These are public law, and therefore statutory, production regulations
that are based on the EU Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91.
~~The organic animal production that is also based on the EU Regulation
mentioned above however as far as processing is concerned based on the
internationally recognized Skal Standards. These are private law production
regulations that are based on the international Basic Standards of the
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM).
(The EKO-quality symbol is issued to both branches but can also be obtained
through inspection by other Skal approved inspection organizations.)
Skal is known as a professional inspection organization for organic production
methods. As a result of this expertise, Skal is the only body in the Netherlands
that has been appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management
and Fisheries to inspect organic production methods based on specifications
laid down in the relevant EEC Regulation. Skal is also empowered to perform
inspections in most countries outside the EU in accordance with this EEC
Regulation. Please contact Skal for a comprehensive list.
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Sustainable
~~
While many of us are familiar with organic coffee and its eco-friendly approach,
the buzzword of the moment in coffee circles is "sustainable"
coffee. As defined by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA),
"sustainability is growth which satisfies the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy their
own needs." In other words, the big picture is key where sustainable
coffee growing is concerned. The SCAA believes the coffee industry should
take the lead in sustainable agriculture worldwide, involving everyone from
producers to consumers.
In essence, sustainable coffee is a melange of cultural, political, environmental,
economic and agronomic influences. Many sustainable coffees are "shade
grown," meaning that a canopy of trees covers the actual coffee plants,
allowing for a slower growing cycle and time for the sugars in the coffee
beans to mature. These shade trees also provide a natural habitat for
migratory and other birds, thereby working hand-in-hand with the environment.
While some plantations employ forest-like conditions such as those found
in untouched rainforests, other coffee growers use a combination of trees
(banana, citrus and timber are popular) for shade as well as income derived
from the tree products.
Most sustainable coffee is grown without the use of pesticides or herbicides,
making it organically sound as well. Care is also given to maintaining
the integrity of the ground cover on the coffee plantations as well as
protecting any nearby rivers which might interact with the liquid byproducts
of coffee processing. Sustainable coffee growers are also keenly concerned
with the issue of deforestation, as many of these growers are in Latin
America and in close proximity to rainforests which are clearly at risk.
Stewards of the environment, these growers realize that it is they who
must protect their land for generations to come.
It is not uncommon for sustainable coffee farms to be family-owned or
cooperatively-run enterprises. Much emphasis is placed on the worker -
his education, livelihood and general well-being. As important as this
is to the producers themselves, this is also a hot button with many consumers
today, as a heightened awareness of working conditions around the world
is dictating buying decisions.
The time, care and concern which goes into producing sustainable coffee
means that the consumer will likely pay more for the end product. Even
so, the high quality makes it more than worth the price. |
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