2. Shade-grown coffee comes from coffee plants
grown under a tree canopy. Coffee growers
plant both coffee and a variety of shade trees.
3. This is a sustainable agricultural practice
resulting in high quality organic coffee. Shade
trees attract birds and are the cornerstone of
a healthy habitat.
4. Some coffee farmers plant plantain and other
trees which produce fruits to harvest so they
grow more than one crop on their land.
6. However, many of these types of healthy
organic coffee may be hard to find.
7. In general, when looking for organic coffee
one looks for evidence of USDA certification.
8. However, USDA certification does not
guarantee that your coffee is one of the any
organic shade grown coffee brands.
9. Rather you may wish to look for UTZ certified
coffee or coffee certified by the Rain Forest
Alliance.
10. Both of these organizations encourage a
broader approach to growing organic coffee
and commonly help promote organic shade
grown coffee brands that their clients
produce.
12. The long term goals of UTZ are good
agricultural practices, safe and healthy
working conditions, abolishment of child labor,
and environmental protection.
13. A UTZ grower learns to do the following and
then continues to do what is needed.
14. Reduce and prevent soil erosion
Keep records of fertilizer and chemical use and use
these products responsibly
Follow good farming practices including integrated pest
management
Avoid deforestation
Protect water sources, native and endangered species
Use native fauna for shade grown coffee
Train workers properly in their own language
Implement and follow through on health and safety
requirements
Teach and require good hygiene
15. UTZ follows coffee from planting to the
roaster, carries out yearly inspections and
promotes the organic shade grown coffee
brands of its clients.
21. Rainforest Alliance certified coffee is part of a
broader sustainable agriculture program of
tropical crops, including coffee, bananas,
cocoa, oranges, cut flowers, ferns, and tea.
22. Certified coffee farms meet a strict set of
environmental standards that include
preservation of the ecosystem and reduction
in use of synthetic chemicals of all sorts.
23. Like UTZ, Rain Forest Alliance helps its
clients promote their organic shade grown
coffee brands.
27. Specific sellers of organic shade grown coffee
brands include the following:
28. » Coffee Tree:
http://www.coffeetree.ca/buybeans/
» Tree Frog Coffees:
http://www.treefrogcoffees.com/brazil.htm
» Rain Forest Certified Coffees: available
on Amazon
» Audubon Coffee Club: various coffees
29. And, if you are looking for small growers, out
of the way organic shade grown coffee brands
from Panama or Colombia feel free to contact
us at Buy Organic Coffee for help with a
couple more organic shade grown coffee
brands.
30. The still active volcano, Nevada Ruiz, outside of Manizales,
Colombia in the heart of the Colombian coffee growing
district, the Cafetero.