Welcome to Fair Trade
Fair Trade Vs Free Trade Article
. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
La Minita Coffee – It’s in the Green Beans
from: Jim CameronLa Minita; Spanish for “The Little Gold Mine” says it all. La Minita is arguably the best coffee in the world and is sipped by the who’s who in the specialty coffee industry as well as by those of us who have access to it in our businesses. Similar to the wine industry, the best coffees are not always the most expensive. There are many factors involved in determining the final price of a coffee, unfortunately the quality of the bean is only one of them.
La Minita comes from the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica in Central America. This region has long been known for it’s quality coffee and remains one of the finest growing regions in the world. The La Minita Estate is located at the pinnacle of this region on a spur between two rivers 5700 feet above sea level. The farm actually has several “Micro Climates” within the farm which effect the crop in different ways. The meticulous way in which coffee is grown, pruned, fertilized, shaded, and weeded all add to the final product. Long before “Organic” was popular, this farm was using machetes to cut back weeds rather than chemicals. Long before “fair trade” was popular this farm was treating it’s employees with respect, providing dental and medical resources right on the farm, paying above local scale, providing household items at below cost prices, and encouraged a coffee workers association to promote fair, safe and equitable conditions.
When the “new crop” is in, samples are taken from each of the micro growing regions on the farm and cupped to determine the years mix. The pickers start at daybreak and finish picking about noon. The days harvest is measured from each picker then at a central pick up point and again at the mill. Every La Minita coffee bean arrives at the mill the same day it is picked which is essential in producing the world’s best coffee. The milling process is more meticulous than other mills and the beans are watched at each stage of the preparation. When they have reached the point where most beans would be bagged up and exported, LaMinita enters its final stage. Every bean is looked at by trained coffee sorters who go over and over the beans removing any bean that may taint the final cup.
Unlike the other “exotic” coffees of the world, La Minita is in this category for one reason: QUALITY! I once spent a few days with a farmer from Jamaica who wanted to increase his crop. When he was told how to make his coffee better, he replied: “I can sell every bean I can grow for $17.00 a pound; all I want to do is get more production”. Unfortunately this is often the case in the exotics. Jamaican Blue Mountain, Hawaiian Kona and other exotics demand high prices but way too often do not deliver the cup. LaMinita sells for far less than Jamaican and Kona and is always a superb coffee at a reasonable price. Visit the La Minita web site at: www.laminita.com .
This article is written by Jim Cameron without the permission of La Minita and expresses only the opinions of the Author on what he believes to be the best value coffee in the world. To purchase this coffee green to roast at home, contact: www.u-roast-em.com . To purchase this coffee roasted, contact your local coffee roaster or coffee shop.
About the Author
Jim Cameron is a semi retired Specialty Coffee Roaster who now shares his love of coffee and his love of Costa Rica. His company in the USAsells these beans in raw "green coffee" form to the home roasting trade. He has a home and a small real estate business in the Southern Pacific side of Costa Rica on the OSA Peninsula.
Fair Trade Vs Free Trade News
Dave Westlake vs. Ron Johnson on trade with China
Ron Johnson explains why he supports free trade with China. Meanwhile, Dave Westlake thinks maybe we should put an embargo in place against China.
Read more...Centerra Gold Reports Second Quarter Results, Net Earnings of $30 Million or 13 Cents Per Share and Declares Inaugural ...
(This news release contains forward-looking information that is subject to the risk factors and assumptions set out on page 14 and in our Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information on page 16. All figures are in United States dollars.)
Read more...Assessing Ballmer's Track Record at Microsoft
By Ravi Nagarajan. When Bill Gates promoted Steve Ballmer to the chief executive position at Microsoft over ten years ago, the company was flying high in terms of investor perceptions and had a cutting edge image placing it at the forefront of America's high tech boom. Despite initial setbacks during the mid 1990s related to understanding the transformative power of the internet, Microsoft ...
Read more...All the fun of the Fringe: The best of Edinburgh this summer
The Edinburgh Fringe is 64 years old this year but there are few signs of impending retirement or indeed of growing old gracefully. For walking sticks and bus passes, read interactive promenade shows, roaming the city guided only by an iPod, and puppetry on board a vintage Routemaster.
Read more...Thomson Reuters Reports Second-Quarter 2010 Results
New York, July 29, 2010 - (ACN Newswire) - - Consolidated net sales were positive and accelerated through Q2, led by strong performance in Legal and Markets - Second-quarter ongoing revenues down 1% before currency - Professional division revenues up 2% before currency; Markets division revenues down 3% before currency - Underlying operating profit of & #36;655 million, down 17% - Adjusted EPS ...
Read more...50 Great States/50 Great Companies: Maryland and Honest Tea
Their teas have less sugar but boy this companys values are pretty sweet.
Read more...TECHNICOLOR : First Half 2010 Results (unaudited)
PARIS--(Marketwire - 07/29/10) - PRESS RELEASE First Half 2010 Results (unaudited) - Q2 2010 revenues at 776 million, down (12.4)% vs. Q2 2009, or (9.5)% excluding retail telephony, with improved trends and signs of recovery across most activities o In Q2 2010, the Group recorded sustained revenue growth in all digital Entertainment Services activities and a slight increase in Licensing revenues ...
Read more...