Organic coffee varieties are usually sold with following labels:

• Organic Shade Grown Coffee: grown in natural or artificial shade
• Organic Bird Friendly Coffee: does not harm environment
• Organic Gourmet Coffee: has a particular flavour & taste
• Organic Kona Coffee: grown in Kona region of Hawaii
• Organic Fair Trade Coffee: sold through Fair Trade Organizations
• Organic Decaf Coffee: decaffeinated

Organic tea varieties can be found with the following labels:

Organic Black Tea: organically grown and fermented tea                              Organic Green Tea: non-fermented organic tea with following varieties

• Organic Gyokurocha: leaves picked from the tip of branches
• Organic Sencha: bigger leaves picked from the middle of branches
• Organic Bancha: tender twigs & bigger leaves tea plant
• Organic Matcha: dust of organic Gyokurocha or/and organic Sencha
• Organic Houjicha: organic green tea & powdered/roasted organic cereals.
• Organic Genmaicha: organic green tea & powdered/roasted organic brown rice
• Organic Decaf Black/Green Tea: Decaffeinated Organic Black or Green Tea

There are lots of decaffeinated coffees and teas to deal with caffeine, and as well, the presence of chemical residues and pesticides can be avoided with organic coffee and tea. Coffee Joe says both organic coffee and tea can be recognized as being the unsung heroes for helping to build a healthy society, a cleaner environment, and fostering an increasing awareness towards an eco-friendly earth on the global markets and economies.

CJ wants to give you a little piece of advice – if you are buying coffee or tea, try organic coffee and tea. The sooner you start, the better off everyone of us will be.

What about iced coffee? CJ researched the web, consulted his beverage books, bar ingredients, and came up with the following recipes:

Iced Coffee With a Twist

Photo by Joanne Choi

1)      Brew a pot of strong organic coffee (dark roasts are best)

2)      Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

3)      When it has cooled, pour some into ice cube trays and freeze.

4)      When the coffee ice cubes are ready, pour the cold coffee over.

5)      Add organic mocha chocolate sprinkles on top.

6)      Serve in a tall, frosted glass

Or try this one:

Iced Cafe Au Lait

Photo by K.G. Toh

1)      Brew a cup of strong organic coffee (dark roasts are best)

2)      One cup chilled skim milk

3)      1 tablespoon nondairy whipped topping

4)      Pinch of ground cinnamon

5)      1/2 teaspoon vanilla

6)      Combine vanilla and milk with coffee. Pour the mixture over ice, and top with whipped topping and a pinch of ground cinnamon. Serves 2.

Enjoy and let Coffee Joe know if these organic coffee recipes tickle your taste buds.

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Coffee Joe Says: “When we drink coffee, ideas march in like the army”  ~Honore de Balzac~

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After the scare of the recent recession, consumers are looking for comfort, whether in their food or their beverage. It’s value, simplicity, home – a return to basics, with anything organic leading the way.

“Consumers still see coffee as an integral part of their everyday lives,” said Robert F. Nelson, President and CEO of the National Coffee Association.  “Even if economic conditions cause some to alter their coffee choices, they are nonetheless continuing to enjoy coffee at levels very much on par with recent years.”

However, CJ says that more adults are making their coffee at home. The retail coffee market grew 6% in 2008 and is increasing each year. Small coffee roasters are benefiting and so are the consumers.

Convenience has given way to the pocket-book mentality. It’s about time – more people should be concerned with the environment, how their food is grown, and how organics are the wave of the future.

The old adage, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again” is more true than ever. CJ says to never be afraid of failure so much that you won’t try a new idea. The worst summary of fundraising:- we could have tried this, it might have worked, and we definitely should have done it.

In an earlier post, Coffee Joe gave the seven tips to organic fundraising. As well, it’s never too late to:

1)      Review your policies – make a note of what worked and what didn’t.

2)      Note the volunteers who campaigned the hardest and who didn’t.

3)      List the donors who were unavailable today; call them next time.

4)      List the the donors who donate every year despite the  economy

5)      Decide which products were the most popular with your customers.

6)      Follow up before the next fundraiser

A public thank you is always appreciated, and accountability never goes out of style.

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Coffee Joe Says: “The mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work unless it’s open.” ~anonymous~

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Later, everyone remarked that the coffee was as good as usual. Coffee Joe informed them they were drinking decaf. No one could believe it until he actually showed them the compostable coffee bag. Well, a lot of discussion ensued, and finally they all agreed they couldn’t really tell the difference.

Do you know the difference? Organic decaf is made several ways, but the most beneficial and healthy process is Swiss Water. The green beans are soaked in a water bath and the resulting loss of caffeine comes in at slightly more than 90%. This means you can drink more without the side effects, but moderation is still the key.

The Swiss Water method will ensure you are truly drinking organic coffee. It still has great taste, smells wonderful and treats your body well. What could be better? Get over the stigma of decaf and try some. You’ll probably be as surprised as the people at Coffee Joe’s party.

People will go miles out of their way to find just the perfect organic blend. Or, like you, they will take a little extra time in their morning commute driving to their coffee shop that treats them like family. You sit down at your favorite table, the barista looks up, knows your brew, and has the server deliver it steaming, right to you. Of course it’s organic, and fresh from the roaster. You deserve nothing but the best.

Behind the scenes that produced your morning cup, the local coffee company first procured the finest green coffee beans. The roast master then emptied them into the hopper, set the dials, and carefully watched over the coffee beans as they were roasted to perfection. Afterwards, they were poured into great vats to degas, put into another hopper and bagged to the specifications of the customers. It takes time and effort to produce a superior coffee.

Don’t settle for anything less, and you can respect it all the more in the morning.

The future of the planet depends on organics, whether it’s the coffee, tea or daily products we need to survive. Here are three posts worth revisiting:

1)      Schools: Change the World

2)      Easy and Organic Fundraising

3)      Fundraising in a Recession

We need to change our ways now, immediately, to form a sustainable, global marketplace. No borders, no politics, just communication and healthy living for all. Children are the ones who will ultimately benefit in the future if we believe organic farming is the only acceptable method for growing our food. Tell them and show them where their food comes from, take them shopping, point out the local organic food and beverages, take them to a local coffee roaster, a local chicken farm – turn them onto organic living.

Our complacency and laziness has created an environment in crisis – everyone of us must get past denial and do their part.

Reading in the Bloomberg Business Week, “sales of coffee, Peru’s biggest agriculture export earner, may climb by 12 percent to $650 million in 2010, compared with $580 million a year earlier” said Eduardo Montauban, head of the coffee growers association.

Apparently, CJ read further, Peru’s organic coffee production has doubled since 1999 as the country’s exporters increased yields and enlarged plantations by half to 370,000 hectares (914,000 acres), according to the Agriculture Ministry. “This year’s harvest is slated to rise to 5 million bags from 4.8 million bags in 2009” Montauban said

“Large foreign import companies are buying more of our organically grown Arabica beans because they’re cheaper than Colombian coffee, have a smooth flavour and have improved in quality in recent years,” Montauban said. “The long stretch of strong prices is also prompting coffee farmers to plant more.”

The Land of Abundance seems to be living up to its name.

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Coffee Joe Says: Coffee makes us severe, and grave, and philosophical. ~Jonathan Swift~

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According to a study published by Alive Magazine generally, normal coffee and tea provide energy, eliminate free radicals or oxidants, and boost immunity. However, because artificial fertilizers, pesticides, preservatives, or processing agents are not used on organic coffees or teas during their growing, processing or packaging, harmful compounds can’t enter your body. This protects you from the risks associated with long term consumption. Plus, good news! If you are concerned about caffeine in organic coffee or tea, decaff is your alternative choice.

Organic beverages are also helpful to the environment. As stated above, no harmful chemicals are used in their growing or processing, meaning there is no pollution, forest destruction, just an eco-friendly solution . Consider, too, in the long run organics are cheaper as the the price tag for all those fertilizers, pesticides, processing reagents and preservatives isn’t an issue.

Healthy living equals a healthy planet. Look beyond your doorstep.

1)      Fairly Traded

2)      Fresh from the Roaster

3)      Gourmet Blends

4)      Well-Priced

5)      Online ordering, forms and brochures

6)      Shipping arranged to your convenience

7)      Re-orders keep funds coming in

In addition, give your donors important information about reusing coffee grounds, recycling paper filters and compostable coffee bags, letting them know they are helping the organic farmers to lift their families and communities out of poverty, and making for a greener planet overall.

CJ thinks this type of fundraiser will appeal to high schools, bands, and church groups. It’s easy to run, attracts volunteers, offers a popular product, is sustainable and helps others. What could be better?