Artisan/Product Stories: More
Brewing Hope | Peruvian Gourds
"I am the Manager of Ghar Udyog and am enjoying every minute of my work. I know realize how much time goes into organizing and making sure everyone has work. It is hard because we are learning to run things on our own, but together we are able to solve problems and help each other. Zia, Ghar Udyog Cooperative..."
Marketplace Handwork of India
MarketPlace is a leading Fair Trade non-profit organization that provides access to global markets for low-income Indian women by using design to bridge the gap between skills and markets.
The artisans who have worked on these products have found freedom and economic independence through their work. This has enabled them to break away from oppressive traditions, enjoy life and bring about positive changes in their families and their communities. The rest of Zia's quote:
..MarketPlace works with 12 cooperatives: 5 produce the hand printed fabric and 7 sew and hand embroider the products. Criteria for choosing the artisan groups with whom MarketPlace works are based on an essential desire to strive for self-determination, combined with economic hardship and limited access to employment opportunities in the general community.
MarketPlace is working with over 450 individuals in India. The cooperatives vary in size, structure and history. The common thread is the philosophy that the women are involved in decision-making at all levels; they plan and execute programs that enhance their lives, the lives of their families and their communities.
The producer cooperatives are involved at every stage of the Market Place operations. At the sampling stage, two artisans from each group participate in the Design Workshop, held twice a year, for each line that MarketPlace designs. Another two artisans join the sample development training workshops which are held prior to the Design Workshop. A group of 4 to 5 artisans is trained to quality-check the production of their group at their own sites. Another two artisans from each group quality-check and pack the production made by the other groups before it is shipped to the USA. This kind of complete involvement creates a sense of empowerment within the artisans concerned and generates an understanding of the production process. Most important of all, it leads to "collective responsibility" .
Brewing Hope is a group of Ann Arbor community members, University of Michigan students and faculty, and small businesses working to create a new dynamic of coffee trade that empowers farmers and consumers to collaborate rather than to compete.
By creating a community partnership where coffee farmers from the Yachil Co-op in Santa Catarina, Chiapas, receive fair prices for their coffee beans, and educating consumers in Ann Arbor, Michigan about sustainable production processes, Brewing Hope serves as a viable alternative to the ever oppressive conventional coffee market.
Through this partnership, Ann Arbor residents can take a step beyond simply promoting international understanding by creating greater equality and opportunities for the farmers whose products contribute to the quality of our lives.
Thanks to Juan Valdez, it’s arguable that Colombian coffee is the best known in the world. But few have tasted the finest coffees the country has to offer.
Columbia
Coffee first landed on the shores of Colombia in the late 17th century. Today the country produces 12% of all coffee grown in the world – second only to Brazil as the world’s top coffee producing country. In 1927, the country formed the Colombian Coffee Federation, forming an alliance among coffee growers to help commercialize their product. Today the Federation is over 500,000 growers strong and is charged with commercializing nearly all of the coffee grown in Colombia. While this has helped support the small-scale farmers that make up the vast majority of coffee growers in the country, it has led to mediocre, non-descript Colombian coffee flooding supermarket shelves throughout the United States.
Through the Federation, coffee from various growing groups is processed and blended together, largely eliminating the unique flavorful lots of coffee found when sourcing from one particular group. Colombian coffee is categorized by grade - Supremo, Extra, and Excelso – rather than origin and as a result much of the time it is difficult to determine where, how and in what climate the coffee was grown.
Luckily, with the good fortune and direction of our importing cooperative – Cooperative Coffees – we are pleased to offer a true single-origin Colombian organic and fair trade coffee – direct from the farmers of Fondo Paez in the department of Cauca. Our Colombian Fondo Paez Medium Roast is full-bodied with delicate notes of caramel ending in a smooth finish.
Positioned in the Cordillera Central and composed of Colombia’s largest indigenous group – the Nasa (“the people” in their native language) – the Paez people are in the unfortunate position of being caught in the middle of an on-going civil war. Taking a stance of non-violence, the farmers of Fondo Paez remain neutral as the now half century- long civil war continues throughout their land.
The struggle for indigenous rights and peace guide the farmers of Fondo Paez as they work to retain their ancestral farming practices with the help of Fundacion Colombia Nuestra. In addition to cultivating coffee the farmers are educating their community in seed collecting, native bean and corn cultivation and other methods of providing a healthy diet for their families.
Ethiopia
The cradle of humanity and the birthplace of Arabica coffee, Ethiopia offers the coffee drinker a bouquet of quality coffees from the nation's diverse regions, soils, climates, and cultures.
A visit to the countryside of Ethiopia leaves one with little doubt about the importance of coffee income to family livelihoods and the Ethiopian government's GDP. Fifteen million households depend on coffee for income. There are more than 1.2 million coffee farmers in the country with 95% of the coffee produced by small-scale farmers.
Renowned as the birthplace of coffee, the crop has been cultivated for over 2000 years with nearly 3000 different coffee species. The majority of the beans are grown between 1,400 - 2,300 meters above sea level.
Endowed with a wide variety of coffee species coupled with the unique growing conditions, Ethiopia produces some of the world's most unique, complex coffees. From the silky Harrar with a strong blueberry finish grown in the East to the citrus and almost floral flavor of coffee hailing from the Sidamo region to the south - Ethiopian coffees are a favorite among coffee connoisseurs.
Higher Grounds is proud to offer you some of the best fair trade, organic coffees from the Oromo people of lush Sidamo and the mysterious, ancient lands of Harrar.
Through our importing cooperative, Cooperative Coffees, Higher Grounds buys coffee directly from Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (OCFCU). OCFCU is an skilled organization charged with the responsibility of processing support, marketing, and commercializing coffee for 74 cooperatives comprising of 68,691 members and 343,455 family members. In 2004, OCFCU produced 81,596 tons of coffee (30,415 of which is organic).
Entering into its seventh year of direct export, OCFCU is the first entity to have been granted the right to bypass the Ethiopian coffee auction in order to sell directly to foreign buyers. They currently have 48 pulperies, 15 hulleries, and 63 warehouses within the farming communities. OCFCU works exclusively in Oromia Regional State, which accounts for 65% of the country's total coffee producing land.
Mexico
Amidst the struggle for indigenous rights and preservation of their diverse cultures in the Mayan Highlands of Chiapas, you will find the finest Mexican coffees.
Coffee first achieved prominence in the beginning of the 18th century when formal plantations were established in Chiapas to supply a modest internal market. By the middle of the 19th century, German and Italian farmers settled in Chiapas along the Pacific Coast plateau. Creating large plantations (“haciendas”) devoted to the production of coffee, they depended on the indentured servitude of the Mayan whose families had traditionally lived in the highlands. The Mayan people realized that coffee also grew well in their communities and left the oppressive plantations to form their own grower-owned and -operated cooperatives.
Today, coffee accounts for 2/3 of all organic acreage in Mexico. Fifty percent of all organic coffee in the country is produced by indigenous farming groups: Mixtec, Cuicatec, Chatin, Chinantec, Zapotec, Tlapanec, Tojolabal, Chontal, Totonac, Amusgo, Maya, Tepehua, Tzotzil, Nahua, Otomi, and Tzelta. Ninety percent of all coffee growers in Mexico are small-scale farmers with less than 12 acres of land.
Now, after years of selecting the best seeds and carefully cultivating the crop, coffee from the Mayan Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico are some of the fullest-flavored, smooth coffees the world has to offer. Surrounded by dramatic mountains and lush valleys, connected by long waterfalls, the coffee varieties of Caturra, Mundo Novo, and Typica flourish to produce a wonderful medium-bodied, bright coffee with slight nutty and chocolate notes. Higher Grounds Trading Co. is proud to be working with three amazing co-ops to bring the regions finest fair trade, organic and shade grown coffees direct to you.
Guided and Inspired by the knowledge of their ancestors, Maya Vinic (Mayan Man in Tzotzil) is a cooperative of over 700 small-scale coffee growers from the municipalities of Chenalhó, Pantelhó and Chalchihuitán, in the Mayan Highlands of Chiapas.
Named after the mountain which towers over the local villages Mut Vitz (Bird Mountain in Tzotzil), is made up of about 600 growers in El Bosque and San Andres. All growers in the Co-op are part of the Zapatista movement for indigenous rights.
Through the formation of Yachil Xojobal Chulchan (New Light in the Sky in the Tzetal Language), coffee growers throughout the region work together to earn a dignified wage for their crops and continue the struggle for indigenous rights in the face of global economic policies that work to dismantle the culture of the indigenous.
Nicaragua
In a country that has seen the gruesome effects of the coffee crisis, small scale growers have banned together in search of an alternative solution to improving coffee quality and sustainable development.
Soon after being introduced to Nicaragua by Catholic Missionaries in the 1790’s, coffee became forever intertwined in the history of the country. The first 8000 pounds of beans were exported by boat in 1850, ushering in an age of prosperity for the mostly foreign coffee barons as they oppressed the largely indigenous population of the country. Quickly, coffee production became an integral part to the economic growth of Nicaragua as growers lived a life of extreme poverty and oppression. This misery manifested itself in different forms through the 1970’s when the US backed contras roamed coffee growing country of rural Nicaragua as it waged a war against the Sandinistas and their popular – largely campesino – uprising.
The new millennia ushered in a coffee crisis that saw nearly unparalleled devastation. Until coffee prices began to fall in the late 1990’s, coffee cultivation represented nearly a third of the agricultural sector's GDP, half of agricultural export earnings and a quarter of the country's total exports. With coffee prices plummeting, coffee growers by the thousands left their coffee fields and migrated to Matagalpa and Managua in hopes of finding emergency food. Today, thanks to support from international aid and dedicated growers banning together to form fair trade coffee cooperatives, Nicaraguan farmers are finally getting a chance to share their specialty coffees direct to the world at a fair price. With 79% of Nicaraguan’s earning less than $2/ day, it is about time that fair trade takes root!
The coffee tree varieties of Maragogype, Bourbon, and Caturra grown in rich volcanic soil at an ideal growing altitude all help Nicaraguan specialty coffees reach a distinction of quality. Quality improvement programs such as the construction of community owned dry beneficios – where green coffee is washed and dried – along with cupping laboratories in the countryside have distinguished Nicaraguan coffee as one of the most sought after origins in the world. Your typical, high quality specialty grade Nicaraguan bean will have a full body, and rich sweet flavor profile finished with a slight nutty finish.
Made up of nearly 2,000 small-scale coffee farmers from nine cooperatives, CECOCAFEN is producing high quality coffee while raising its members’ quality of life. Since its establishment in 1997, CECOCAFEN has taken great strides toward fulfilling its goals through a wide variety of social, environmental, and production programs. Income from fair trade coffee sales has enabled the cooperative to implement a variety of social and quality improvement programs.
More than 225 women participate in a savings and loan program for investment in activities that provide income diversification and food security. Revenue from Fair Trade Premiums have helped CECOCAFEN finance a solar processing plant, SOLCAFE, and quality control laboratory. Trainings in sustainable agriculture include organic and shade cultivation, terracing, soil conservation, and crop diversification. Last but not least, CECOCAFEN has funded over 200 secondary and university scholarships for cooperative members and their children.
Peru
Challenged by the shoddy infrastructure and wild terrain on high ridges thick in the jungle, it is a wonder the smooth crisp coffees from Peru ever make it to our doorstep. In this country of 28 million, only 110,000 farmers brave the rugged conditions to grow coffee.
Coffee was first introduced to Peru in the 1700s when the heirloom variety, typica, first graced the shores of this South American paradise. Early years found the coffee industry plagued with bad management, government corruption, and unfair prices paid to farmers. A resurgence of a solid coffee industry coupled with careful quality control has meant that Peru is now producing some of the finest specialty grade coffees on the market. Higher Grounds is pleased to be purchasing from one of Peru’s leading co-ops offering quality fair trade and organic coffees!
Today, over 35% of the country’s coffee trees are an heirloom variety. Coffee production is divided into three regions – the full-bodied coffees of the south, the creamy and hearty beans from the central region, and the smooth, earthy yet bright coffee from the north. The northern region produces some of the finest coffees and has only recently positioned itself as prime coffee exporting center, with most of the trees first planted less than 20 years ago.
Formed in 1977, Pangoa provides technical and commercialization support to its nearly 500 growers. Hailing from a San Martin de Pangoa, the cooperative has been successful in marketing their fair trade coffee while returning their fair trade premiums to growing communities. Growers have an average of 4 acres of planted coffee which is handpicked and sundried each year between April and August.
Sumatra
Abundant rainfall, rich volcanic soil, and an equatorial climate are the essential ingredients in the very fine, exotic flavors of Sumatran coffees. Well known in the United States for their rich spicy tones, Sumatran coffees have been wowing U.S. coffee aficionados for years.
Colonization and increasing demand for coffee in Europe initiated the spread of coffee plantings throughout Sumatra in the 18th century. Today, it is grown around Lake Tawar in Aceh and the Lake Toba region. Indonesia is the world’s third largest producer of coffee. But, only 10% of those beans are arabica and an even smaller portion are destined for the specialty coffee market.
Often you will see Sumatran coffee sold as Mandaleeing – which is actually an ethnic group and does not specify a specific region or growing altitude. As a result, some Sumatran Mandaleeings have been found to be inconsistent and unrepresentative of a particular region due to sourcing lots from more than one origin. Searching out a single origin Sumatran bean from one growing group – the Gayo Organic Coffee Farming Association (PPKGO) - we are able to continually offer a consistently, high quality Sumatran bean worthy of a designation as a classic Mandaleeing.
In Sumatra, Central Aceh is known for its rich, earthy balanced coffees with complex aroma. The PPKGO is acclaimed for producing some of the best.
Made up of over 1,600 growers from 32 different communities, the cooperative is made up of 5 different ethnicities: Gayo, Javanese, Acehnese, Padang, and Batak. In a region torn apart from devastating natural disasters and on-going civil war, PPKGO has been a continuous multi-ethnic inspiration as it uses its fair trade coffee premiums to build potable water systems, construct new roads, refurbish mosques, and the establishment of a credit union.
In the Andean mountains of Peru, in a tiny village of 50 families, fine gourd carving has been practiced for generations. Pablo, a master carver, recalls his grandfather telling how it all started. “Around 200 years ago, people from Huancayo made regular trips to the jungle to trade for rice, corn, beans and other goods. They met there with people from many places including gourd carvers from Ayacucho.” That's how they learned the carving techniques and brought them back to their village while creating a style of their own. Historically, Andean people used gourds to store food and to this day they are used for storing salt and spices or drinking chicha and mate.
Story telling or illustrative gourd carving in Peru has a long history. Carvers served their communities by recording Andean celebrations, oral traditions, rituals, myths, and weddings. Archaeologists in Peru recently discovered a deity figure on a gourd carved over 4,000 years ago. What once used to be one man's job today involves the entire family. “My 4 year old son already wants to learn” says Pablo.
Following an ancient tradition of over 4,000 years, master gourd carvers take you through the process of creating Peruvian gourd art. Gourds are vegetables very closely related to pumpkins, squash and cucumbers, and can be grown in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Pablo travels to the vast gourd fields on the northern coast of Peru to check the quality and growth of his raw material.
After the harvest, Pablo “greenscrapes” the gourds, using a dull knife to shed the outer green skin and reveal the lighter color below.
Then they are thoroughly cleaned in preparation for the drying process, which gets the gourd ready for carving. Laid out on the sandy beaches, the gourds dry naturally in the hot Peruvian desert sun. Now the creativity of our artists really shines! First, original designs are sketched on each gourd. With simple hand chisels, the design is carved by hand, one gourd at a time. To bring out the rich, natural colors of the gourd, fire is carefully applied using a technique called pyrography. The finished artwork: beautiful and original hand crafted gourd art created by modern day master carvers.