MARCH COFFEE NEWS

This Month:
Meet our Coffee Farmers - Sabel Velasquez
The coffee we sell through Velasquez Family Coffee is grown by three members of Guillermo's Family - two brothers and a brother-in-law. This month we feature Sabel Maximiliano Velasquez, Guillermo's oldest brother. Sabel grows his coffee in an area outside Siquatapeque, Honduras that is know for its quality coffee because of its high altitude. He and his wife Daysi have three lovely young-adult daughters and live in the city of Comayagua where Daysi is an elementary teacher in a local public school. In addition to being  a coffee farmer, Sabel also serves as the director of the Comayagua branch of the Coffee Producers Association (AGROCAFE). In this role, Sabel has been a consistent advocate for coffee farmers and rural communities, often finding funding for road, bridge and water projects.  Most recently he is helping distribute more efficient cooking stoves that use less wood and produce less smoke than older versions.

Photos and Stories
When we were in Honduras in January, we spent a fun day with Sabel and Daysi visiting the places where they grow their coffee and checking out this year's coffee harvest. Below we share photos from our trip.

HOLIDAY FLAVORS

Our supply of holiday flavors is thinning, but there are still a few bags of each of the flavors to enjoy:

• Bonfire
• Chocolate Hazelnut Cream
• Confused Santa
• Drunken Uncle
• English Toffee

These flavors are available in 8 oz packages for $7.50. Check out the website for full descriptions and to confirm availability. Some flavors (especially Bonfire and English Toffee) are down to only a few bags so don't delay!

Coffee Culture of Doing Good
One of our goals in the new year is to deepen our connections with and knowledge of the specialty coffee industry. Groups like the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) continue to impress us with their emphasis not just on great tasting coffee, but also on making coffee supply chains more sustainable and equitable for the places and people involved in growing coffee.

Good News from the Coffee World
A recent issue of the Specialty Coffee Chronicle celebrated "the power of “doing good." The photos below link to some of the articles that inspired us including: Ensuring Coffee Viability through Community and Sustainability, Alternative Trade or Better Trade, B Corp: An Unexpected Journey, the Power of Organic Coffee, and Shade-Grown Coffee.

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