Shade Grown CoffeeBenefits of Shade Grown Coffee
One of the reasons that drew us to Indian coffee was that it is shade grown using sustainable farming methods, and hand picked and sun dried. The result is environmentally friendly plantations and fair trade. Over time we have added several other Shade Grown coffees from countries like Guatemala and Sumatra.
- Taste. As the coffee beans mature more slowly in the shade, natural sugars increase and enhance the flavor of the coffee.
- Promotes healthy environment. Shade grown coffee requires little or no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. The shade trees absorb carbon dioxide which causes global warming, and aid in soil moisture retention which minimizes erosion.
- Provides bird habitat and greater biodiversity. Migrating bird populations have been in rapid decline since the introduction of "sun" coffee and the consequent destruction of rainforest for more coffee plantations. As many as 150 species of birds have been identified on shade coffee farms.
- Helps sustain rain forests. Coffee plantations which are chemically dependent suffer from soil depletion and increased erosion. Shade coffee farms are, for the most part, organic and sustainable.
- Reverses the trend to chemicals. Shade coffee farms traditionally use little or no chemical fertilizer.
