We’re buying some incredible certified organic coffee beans from El Salvador – Los Milagros – grown in a micro lot by a group of incredible women. 

The coffee plantation is located near the Santa Ana Volcano, where the rich soil is covered in shade trees to keep it mosit and prevent erosion.  The shade trees are beautiful – mahogany, conacaste, conifers, cedar and bamboo.  And, they provide a place for migratory birds to nest.  In fact, Los Milagros protects the habitat of 3 bird species considered to be extinct.  So, the plantation is certified as Smithsonian “Bird Friendly.’’ You probably didn’t even know that such a certification existed!

OK – enough about the birds.  Here’s what’s so interesting about micro lot coffee.  Recently some farmers in Central America are becoming real entrepreneurs.  Not only do they grow coffe, but they also sun dry and prepare one day’s harvest at a time.  The Los Milagros group of entrepreneurial woman takes great pride in how they grow, dry and prepare their coffee beans in small batches. 

Their coffee is incredible!  It has notes of caramel in the aroma with hints of chocolate and red berries in the mouth.  Ahh!  I can almost smell and taste it as I write.  All of the coffee is dried on patios made of clay bricks, so the temperature remains constant, for 7 or 8 days.  Because of how the coffee is grown, dried and processed, you get a really consistent high quality cup every time.

Here’s the part that Sharon likes best.  Three families live on the plantation in homes with water, electricity and facilities.  Their children all go to school and they all have health insurance. 

Here’s a group of entrepreneural woman growing, drying and preparing great coffee while they’re able to have a good quality of life in El Salvador.  That’s why we’re so excited to offer their coffee.  El Salvador Los Milagros – it’s incredible!

And, wait ‘til  you taste how we roast it.   

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 at 2:53 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.