Quick post today. I was in Starbucks the other day and was excited to see they've introduced Organic Sumatra-Peru Blend. They're calling it their "boldest organic coffee." Sumatra is my favorite Starbucks blend so downright giddy about the potential of an organic version.I've been going with the Organic Coffee Company's Java Love, which I can usually get on sale at Harris Teeter (translation: much cheaper than the $13.49 price tag for the Starbucks Organic Sumatra-Peru, not available at The Teet), but Starbucks may convert me. Will the organic Sumatra hold up to its standard counterpart? I'll let you know.
At the risk of bashing a move in the right direction, what would be even better is if this coffee were shade grown. It didn't look like it was, but I hope that I am wrong. Shade-coffee is crucial to wildlife, mainly songbirds which are dying off. Shade-coffee farms shelter more birds than any other agricultural landscape. A good book on the subject is called Silence of the Songbirds, by a Canadian ornithologist.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.harpercollins.ca/songbirds/
The Organic Sumatra does not appear to be shade grown, but the Starbucks Organic Shade-Grown Mexico blend is.
ReplyDeleteShameless plug for The Green Miles' employer -- Green Mountain Coffee makes a National Wildlife Federation blend that's not only organic, fair-trade, and shade-grown, but a portion of the proceeds go to NWF! It also will deliver Al Gore's latest global warming presentation while you eat breakfast. OK, I made that last part up.
Dang, I might have to try that. I've never (to my knowledge) tried organic coffee, and would like to see if it tastes any different.
ReplyDeleteRight now I'm waiting for a sample from http://www.ecojoes.com/free-organic-coffee-sample-from-isla-earth/
Also, I agree with the two people above; shade-growing helps preserve wildlife habitat instead of destroying it.
You should give Larry's Beans organic coffee a look. It is much better than anything I have tried at Starbucks, although they don't stray to far from the norm at the location I frequent.
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