As I’ve previously mentioned, coffee “beans” (seeds or pits) grow in moderate climates across the world on what’s referred to as the coffee belt. Coffee trees, which are actually more like tall bushes, are pruned short though they can grow to be over 25 feet tall. They are covered with waxy dark green leaves and blossoming fruit—of green, red, and yellow color—known as cherries, which grow along its branches. The beans or seeds are picked from inside the fruit once it’s ripened. While there are many different species of coffee plants, the two species that are commercially cultivated... Read More

One of the major issues in the coffee industry is sustainability. In every aspect and area of the business—from the farm to cup—there is room for growth when it comes to energy and waste management. The future of coffee (like any commodity dealing with climate change) depends on the ability of farmers, roasters, baristas, and customers to make smart decisions that favor long term sustainability goals. As consumers, we can choose to buy coffee from roasteries that participate in direct trade with farmers and cooperatives invested in environmentally sound growing practices. We can also make the... Read More

Coffee4Change aims to raise funds to aid local workers in Haiti, Honduras, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, and Uganda. The money raised will help ensure that coffee farmers are utilizing the most effective business models and environmentally efficient techniques to grow and sell their crops. It sounds like an excellent way to support the prosperous future of ethical and sustainable coffee. You can get behind this great fund raiser for as low as the price of a cup of coffee. Check out the campaign’s website for more details.  Read More

This weekend, the cannabis community is wrapping up Hemp History Week. What started as a movement to raise awareness and support for industrial hemp has quickly turned into the largest national grassroots effort to restore strong support for industrial hemp farming in the United States. Running June 4-10, this is the 9th annual campaign which brings together “grassroots organizers, leading hemp product manufactures, farmers, and advocates from all walks of life who are working to change federal policy on industrial hemp in the US.” Hemp has so many uses that it’s not only healthy for you,... Read More

On Thursday, December 21, 2018, our president officially signed and passed the 2018 Farm Bill. This bill ends the prohibition of hemp in the United States, making it a historical day in our history. The passage of this bill will begin the regrowth of hemp as an agricultural crop in America. As important as this is, there is still much work to be done beginning at the state level to protect our rights and freedoms when it comes to growing, producing, and distributing hemp products that contain CBD. Last week we covered what the Farm Bill means for sports, and today we’re going to look at some... Read More

It was a monumental week for the cannabis industry as Congress approved the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, also referred to as the farm bill. The passing of this bill, once officially signed by the President, will legalize the production, processing, and sale of hemp. This will remove hemp from the Controlled Substances Act and make hemp just another commodity to be overseen by the US Department of Agriculture. This is a huge deal for hemp farmers interested in growing hemp at scale to be used for consumer goods like food, textiles, paper, plastics, and building materials, but what does the... Read More

Vertical farming is a growing trend across the world, particularly in places similar to Boulder with limited space and a green conscious. Essentially, vertical farming is the practice of producing food and other bio-matter in vertically stacked layers; these layers can either be stacked through multiple stories at the macro level, or through multiple shelves within a single story at the micro level. Vertical farming may be an attractive alternative to traditional methods of food production because it is a more efficient use of land, and can also extend the potential growing season. Additional benefits... Read More

Boulder is a famously health-conscious place—it’s consistently ranked as one of the fittest cities in America, and the abundance of beautiful trails and natural foods stores certainly makes it easy to be healthy and active. Unfortunately where interest lies, misinformation usually follows, and that’s the case with GMOs. Around here, you’ve probably seen labels on all kinds of food proudly trumpeting “Contains No GMOs!” but that little label is much more loaded than with just information. It’s a deeply emotional issue, one that forms unbreakable opinions on both sides and discussion... Read More

Life is an exciting living puzzle!  We spend an entire lifetime putting the pieces together, which creates the picture of our life.  Sometimes the pieces fit perfectly together, and other times they are a complete mismatch.  We are all born naturally inquisitive; looking for all of the right pieces through experimenting with everything we can get our hands on.  Through trial and error, we slowly begin the unique process of creating our personal-picture-puzzle.  If we’re lucky, we are born with parents who have successfully put many of the pieces together, and they can help us with our own... Read More