Buying Beans
Real quick, before we jump in to meet the farmers, let’s talk about buying coffee. Most of the time when I meet someone and tell them what I do, they ask “So where do you buy your coffee from?” (As in what countries AND/OR how in the world do you get it here?). We buy some through wholesalers, some directly through families bringing their beans here, and some through relationships. We have multiple, vetted and wonderful sources, but it is not an easy, quick answer. Nor is it an easy, quick purchase. It is not as simple as I want beans, YOU have beans, let me just pay you some money. I mean, it can be that simple, but we put much more emphasis on the practices behind the beans we buy.
We believe that each dollar spent in this world represents what we value. How you spend your money represents what you value. We spend our money on coffee, so when we do we choose to focus on the following questions from our suppliers.
Who grows the coffee and how are they connected with you?
What are the farmers doing for environmental sustainability?
What are the farmers doing for worker sustainability?
How do you support them, in terms of sustainability, quality, etc.?
With that being said, we have landed on our current suppliers and are thrilled with the coffee they produce and provide.
Gold Mountain Coffee growers
an importer’s story
So let me introduce you to Gold Mountain Coffee growers, more specifically Ben Weiner. In 2002, Ben was working on his thesis research in Nicaragua, focusing on their coffee driven economy. Ben decided to buy a coffee farm and joined a Fair Trade Co-op (which was partially dysfunctional). Pretty soon, farmers were coming to him expressing that they couldn’t support their families and began asking Ben to help farmers connect directly with roasters. So that is what he has done, over time.
Gold Mountain Coffee Growers is a social enterprise that, in addition to its own farm, works directly with coffee producers in Nicaragua, including Sabino and Maria Jesus, to connect them with roasters abroad. Gold Mountain is on the ground, all the time, teaming up with producers willing to take the steps necessary to produce high-cupping specialty coffee. They literally stand on every partner farm during picking to ensure ripeness with tools and support. Gold Mountain also carries out sustainable development projects in communities, such as free computing classes for girls from coffee communities, medical assistance, microcredit, running water in schools, and educational supplies.
Ben and I have been in contact for about 4 years. We have been in touch and I have been watching the work Ben has been doing from afar. I’ve been really impressed with his company and the coffee they put out. This year we decided to commit to one of his farmers, Sabino and Maria, and ARE THRILLED TO ROLL THIS COFFEE OUT!
Nicaragua New Drop: Sabino & Maria Jesus
Sabino and his wife Maria Jesus live in a small village of farmers who produce both coffee and vegetables at the highest altitudes of Jinotega. When you visit their farm you may still see Sabino using two oxen to pull a cart or to plow a field before planting. They have five children named Edis, Sabino Vladimir, Kenia, Belccis, and Cristian.
They have abundant raised beds for both drying coffee and selecting out imperfections. Gold Mountain Coffee Growers worked with Sabino’s father, Don Jose, before he passed away, and Don Sabino hopes to continue his father’s coffee farming legacy. The attention he pays to the many details involved with coffee production bodes well for their ability to consistently produce high-scoring microlots. They aspire to plant more coffee and to implement new and more efficient techniques. They say that these improvements will allow them to hire more workers and make renovations on their farm.
So we received their coffee last month and have been working on our production profile. We have a profile that is going to make you smile. Coming out with a nice round body, with pronounced pear and cantaloupe, this has quickly been the coffee we are drinking daily in the Santoro house for this season. The taste is great, but knowing more about the people behind it makes it that much more delightful. We value Sabino, Maria, Ben, and all who makes this coffee possible.
Please pick up a bag in the coffee shop or online at our bean store.
