Daily Special
- Wednesday July 3rd
- Cherry Cordial Mocha
Don't Forget we will close at 3 pm on Friday July 4th and the Elks Lodge 4th of July Parade starts at 10 am (and should run past the Market around 10:45) so get here early and enjoy the parade with a cup of coffee, italian soda, or one of Judy's home-made muffins.
We have a variety of Cup of Excellence coffees this week, they are:
About Shade Coffee
Your coffee could help save habitat for migratory birds!
What does coffee have to do with birds? Plenty! In the mid-elevations of Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and Colombia, most of the forests still standing are in traditional coffee plantations. These provide the last refuge for birds that have lost their habitat to the vast destruction of tropical forests.
Coffee, a shade-loving shrub, flourishes under the canopy of diverse tree species. Hummingbirds, swallows, warblers, orioles, tanagers and other native and migratory birds find a safe haven in the remaining forests of shade coffee plantations.
Scientists and birdwatchers have noticed a marked decline in migratory bird populations over the last 25 years.
The tree canopy in shade coffee plantations protects the soil from erosion and provides a natural mulch for coffee plants, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and herbicides.
Prior to the last 20 years or so, nearly all commercial coffee production was managed under the canopy of shade trees. But debt strapped nations seeking to boost exports have taken deliberate steps to "modernize" growing practices away from shade coffee.Many people have questions about what Shade Coffee is and why it's important. Few realize the delicate balance between forest resources and bird migration patterns.
| - - - | SHADE | SUN |
| Yield | Lower (~25-40%) | Higher |
| Coffee Plants per Hectare | 1000-2000 | 3000-7000 |
| Kilograms per Hectare per Year | 550 | 1600 |
| Lifetime of Coffee Plants | 24-30 Years | 12-15 Years |
| Number of Other Crops | High | Low/None |
| Flavor | Less Bitter | More Bitter |
| Producer | Mostly small-scale Growers | Mostly large-scale Growers |
| Number of Bird Species | 150 | 20-50 |
| Proportion of Avifauna in Normal Forest | 2/3 | ~1/10 |
| Number of Mid-Sized Mammal Species | 24 | Almost None |
| Number of Other Animal Species | More Ants, Beetles, Epiphytes, Amphibians, and Other Species | Fewer Ants, Beetles, Epiphytes, Amphibians, and Other Species |
| Weeding | Lower | Higher |
| Chemical Fertilizers | Lower | Higher |
| Pesticides | Lower | Higher |
| Irrigation | Lower | Higher |
| Soil Erosion | Lower | Higher |
| Soil Acidification | Lower | Higher |
| Toxic Runoff | Lower | Higher |