What Exactly Are Organic Coffee Beans/

Environmental awareness has awakened the sense in consumers to preserve the resources supplied by mother nature. What better consumable to start the earth saving project of organic farming with than growing of organic coffee beans?

Organic coffee beans derive from coffee trees grown under an awning of taller growing trees and plants, usually banana trees. These natural tree awnings are the perfect shield allowing just enough sunlight and rain to seep through. 50% shade is ideal for the slow growing conditions sought. The falling plant leaves serve as a natural compost and mulch layer at the bottom of the coffee plants to retain moisture and top quality soil profile. No synthetic pesticides may be used on organically certified products.

The popularity of the coffee bean is astonishing as it is ranked second in terms of world trade with oil at the number one spot. These small green seeds have a retail market of an estimated Seventy Billion US Dollars. In the past, pricing of beans where haunted by significant drops and rises caused by super sensitivity to volatile conditions in the market. The impact of world recessions on bean prices have been eliminated by the fixing of minimum prices.

When harvest time arrives, ripe berries are plucked from the tree with care as the tree only yields an estimated 2.20 lbs beans per year. The berries are soaked in water to soften the outer pulp. Residual pulp is removed until the coffee beans are clearly visible. The beans are then left to dry in the sun. Dried beans are sacked and weighed. Specially designed areas are allocated for organic products in each country of origin. Beans are auctioned and shipped to various destinations across the world.

A disadvantage to consumers is often the inaccessibility of organic products. Organic foods are generally associated with high pricing in relation to our local and conventional produce due to farmers' expenses related to start-up funding, labor requirements, smaller outputs and land requirements.

Organic coffee farmers have to comply with strict International rules and regulations prescribed by independent organic organizations, Fair Trade and KNCU (Kilimanjaro Native Cooperative Union). Compliance with these directives entail recognition for producing and supplying high quality coffee beans of international standards, which in turn assist the farmers of organic coffee beans to tap into global markets.

Job creation for the community is another advantage of organic farming due to the intensity of labor. Participating farming communities on the African continent are reaping the benefits of growing organic coffee beans in terms of gaining economic independence, development of health care and education systems as well as building a positive future for their countries and families.

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October 23 2009 | coffee | No Comments »

Is It Sensible To Order Coffee Online?

Now who would have thought only a few years ago that anyone could order coffee online without even getting up from your chair! Long seen as the sole province of the gourmet or specialty market, exotic coffee beens from around the world are now readily available to you purchase with the click of a button.

While talking of a coffee "bean", did you know that coffee beans are in fact not beans as in a vegetable, but a cherry like fruit and the pit of the coffee cherry consist of two beans that are flat on the one side and concaved on the other? In addition, did you know that coffee beans are the second most exported product in the world?

When you order coffee online, there are literally hundreds of blends you can choose from. However, very few people know that that in fact when they order coffee online, they are ordering from different blends of flavor and not different blends of coffee beans. There are only two cultivars of coffee beans that are grown for commercial purposes. Arabica coffee and coffee robusta are the most common to the world's coffee buyers and Arabica coffee comprises of 75% of the global coffee trade.

While searching and reading through the different online sites where you can order coffee online, you can almost experience the rich strong smell one can only find in those boutique coffee shops. How would you know what it taste like? When you are in a coffee shop selling ground and whole roasted coffees, at least you can "smell" the taste thereof or get an idea what it will taste like, but to order coffee online, you need to have a strong imagination to convert the descriptions of each flavour into taste or smell.

Due to the popularity of selling coffee online, you can be assured that when you order coffee online, you will be able to select from the best coffees available. These coffee merchants are well aware of the taste preferences of their clientele and do their best to accurately describe each blend or flavor and typical only roast from green beens just before sending out your order.

In order to preserve the freshness of the roasted coffee, most merchants ship via overnight or two day mail. As a further way of enticing customer, many online coffee suppliers give substantial discounts with your first online coffee order and have reward programs in place for regular customers.

When you order coffee online, it would be safe to say that you are probably looking for blends that you just can't find in your regular supermarket. Even if you had access to a retail specialty shop, you'd expect to pay premium prices. That is where online shopping shines, you have the luxury of shopping around for the lowest price, which will generally be well bleow what you'd have to pay at a retail establishment.

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October 22 2009 | coffee | No Comments »

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