Coffee Beat

This blog has moved

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:15:00 +0000

Due to changes in our blog service provider, this blog has recently moved. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Jo at roasted@mobjackbaycoffee.com

Thank you!

Do you have a favorite coffee quote?

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:12:00 +0000

I recently picked-up a copy of the Coffee Lover's Bible (Jill Yates) at a bookstore. I highly recommend it as coffee table fodder for any and all Java Junkies out there. Not only will you be exposed to interesting facts about coffee, but you'll find yourself laughing and smiling as you read coffee excerpts pulled from a multitude of sources. Following are a couple of my immediate favorites....

* "Listen," I told him. "Don't be so tough so early in the morning. I'm sure you've cut plenty people's throats. I haven't even had my coffee yet."
- Earnest Hemingway, To Have and Have Not

* "One sip of this
Will bathe the drooping spirits in delight
Beyond the bliss of dreams"
- John Milton, Seventeenth-century English poet

* "After a few months' acquaintance with European 'coffee,' one's mind weakens, and his faith with it, and he begins to wonder if the rich beverage of home, with its clotted layer of yellow cream on top of it, is not a mere dream after all, and a thing which never existed."
-Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad, 1880

* Having known the evenings, mornings, afternoons,
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.
- T.S. Eliot, The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock, 1915

Do you have any coffee related "drips" worth sharing?

To Drink or not to Drink....Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:31:00 +0000

As a coffee roaster you can probably figure out where I stand on coffee.....drink away! But for many people that question, or rather how they answer it, has heavier implications.

There are people that need to avoid too much coffee because of caffeine. It may be because they are sensitive to the drug, or perhaps they are taking other medications that react with it. It's important to understand exactly how much caffeine is too much. Is it alright to eat chocolate? Drink a caffeinated soda? If your Doctor says it's alright, you may not have to give up your daily cup of coffee. There are some guidelines that will help you pick the right coffee. First, drink darker roasted coffees.....the longer roasts actually burn off some caffeine from the bean. Try a dark roast Sumatra, or a Central American bean that's roasted to at least a Viennese level.

If you are a heavy coffee drinker, it's important to know too much of a good thing is possible. If The signs that you have overindulged are headaches, jitteriness, heart palpitations, nervousness, irritability, and stomach distress. But you say you can't live without your cup of brew....no worries. Try a different approach:

1. Drink a light to medium roasted coffee in the morning. These coffees have the highest levels of caffeine. Really need a pick me up? Try any of the pea berry varieties. A pea berry is a coffee berry that has produced only one bean....the catch is that one bean has the caffeine of two.

2. Switch to a darker roasted coffee for your afternoon pick-me-up. As stated above, a darker roasted bean has given up some of its caffeine because of longer roast times. You may think that's why dark roasted coffee is served after dinner....that would make too much sense. The main reason is dark roasted coffees cut the sweetness of the desserts they are paired with really well. It's all about balance, the lighter caffeine is a bonus.

3. Have stomach issues? Try espresso based drinks. In a medium espresso based drink you are getting two ounces of extracted coffee with the same upside as a 12-16 ounce cup of traditionally brewed coffee. Sometimes the lower volume of coffee is easier for stomachs to handle. An often overlooked "cure" could be just consuming food with your coffee. I don't mean drinking a cup before eating breakfast, but actually eating first and then drinking your coffee. Not only will you absorb the caffeine at a slower rate (avoiding the jitters), it will be easier on your stomach.

4. Remember that it takes your body 12-14 hours to completely process the caffeine you ingest. During that time the stimulating effects of the caffeine from coffee are still active. So...consider your bed time before you drink that last cup of coffee. I try not to drink any coffee after 2:00 p.m. on afternoons I don't exercise, and 4:00 p.m. on afternoons I plan on working out. You guessed it, working out helps your body process everything better.

So here's to drinking your favorite freshly roasted coffee your way....hopefully that's freshly ground and brewed (your favorite way)....Cheers!

Another reason to drink coffee....

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:52:00 +0000

As if coffee lovers need another reason to partake in a morning cup of coffee, a long-term study of more than 83,000 women finds that coffee might modestly reduce the risk of stroke. Compared to drinking less than a cup a month, drinking four or more cups a day is linked to a 20 percent reduction in risk. Drinking two to three cups a day is associated with a 19 percent reduction.

Coffee, like tea, comes from a plant, so antioxidants may account for some of its benefits. It seems that one of these, methylpryridinium, may help protect against colon cancer. Another one, Chlorogenic acid, improves glucose metabolism to help prevent diabetes. Still other antioxidants in coffee may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by improving blood vessel function, fighting inflammation, and protecting LDL's from oxidation. Consider this, some of the same antioxidants found in red wine are actually found in higher concentrations in coffee.

Now if all of this doesn't have you drinking more coffee, consider this...coffee may even benefit the brain. Studies link daily coffee consumption to less decline in memory and verbal recall.

Now no one is suggestion a pot of coffee twice a day would be a healthy choice, just like a bottle of wine a night doesn't amplify the protective nature of grape juice. But in moderation, coffee does seem to have beneficial health effects.

FOR THOSE SENSITIVE TO CAFFEINE...you'll be happy to know decaf retains many antioxidants found in regular coffee. Don't think decafs have flavor? Try a water processed decaf blend (like Slack Tide Decaf). You won't believe your taste buds.

(Selected sources: "Coffee Comes of Age, with a New Look at Java's Many Health Perks" by Linda Antinoro, Environmental Nutrition 3/09 ; "Coffee Consuption and Risk of Stroke in Women" by E. Lopez-Garcia, Circulation, 2/09)

It's raining Cats and Dogs....

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 02:59:00 +0000

Well things are completely upside down right now. With all the news about multi million dollar AIG bonuses (bailout? we don't need no stinkin' bailout...we're giving out bonuses), a struggling global economy, a shrinking (and redefined) middle class and a suffering (yet still indulgently opulent) upper class, omnibus bills that promise financial stability (what credit freeze), debt relief (follow the rainbow said St. Patrick), increased taxes (energy will be a big one), programs and jobs (don't nail me down on a date), the Dow crashing (to 1997 levels), the Dow on a four day recovery (is the recession over?), (add anything you'd like in this space and follow it with a sarcastic quip)......Celeste and I decided to sell our home, grow our family, start a new business, and partner in a non profit. What's that old saying about a Carp?

Well it appears that despite all the turbulent rapids out there, people still find stretches of calm water to enjoy their favorite cup of coffee. Regardless of their motivation, we appreciate their discerning taste and generous support. We currently have customers from ten different states ordering our coffee. Those that have received orders have noticed that we try to ship in recycled boxes from our warehouse. If you get one of these boxes and can ship something else in it, please do so. Let us know about it and I'll post the story under the title "Journey of a Recycled Box." The wholesale side of our business is growing every month. If you know of a coffee shop you think would appreciate our freshly roasted beans and high level of customer service, please send me an email (or call).

E3 Collaborative, the non profit, is moving along nicely. While waiting patiently to hear about grant awards we are working to set our strategy for the next five years. More announcements will come when appropriate.

Here's to a hot cup of Mobjack Java....Cheers!

Can we unify the Chesapeake Bay Clean-up?

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:55:00 +0000

If you missed this article, please read it now. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/26/AR2008122601712.html

People ask me why we don't just contribute a percentage of our profits in support of existing organizations fighting the fight to clean up the Bay. There have been some people that have shared this view with me, "Don't you think you'll be taking away support (money) from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation?"

In my opinion, the answer is pretty clear. Why not start a local, grass roots based non-profit that solicits businesses to get involved? If the CBF is already garnering 20% of the populations support, and we pull in another 3%, doesn't that increase the amount of people working towards a common good? The article clearly states that what we are doing ISN'T working. Special interests rule the day in Washington. Lobbyists that protect industry interests continually throw red herrings out to confuse scientific data.

The Bay oyster population is decimated, yet groups lobby to protect native oyster species that have proven they aren't hardy enough to survive their "new" environment. I understand their fear. I grew up on the Lake Erie and witnessed the spread of Zebra Mussels (an invasive species). I also witnessed the water clarity of the lake drastically improve. Sure, there has been a lot of money invested in trying to re establish the native oysters....well that amount of money will pale in comparison to what happens if dead zones continue to grow.

Menhaden are the Bay's number two filter feeder. These fish not only help clean the water, they are one of the most important links in the Bay food chain. Yet Virginia remains the only coastal state that allows them to be commercially harvested. Think about that. Oysters are gone, yet we continue to remove the number two filter feeder out of the Bay. I understand people have jobs and lives that depend on this harvest, but what do you think will happen to their jobs when the fishery collapses? What have their representatives been doing to get other industries interested in moving into the area? Instead of fighting a losing battle (how long can we keep this up), why not offer solutions to concerned citizens? New jobs? New industries?

PA doesn't want their farmers bothered with an issue they can't "see". Introducing stream buffers and controlling fertilization, erosion, and rain water runoff could help slow the nutrient flow into the Bay.

Municipalities don't have the money to upgrade their sewage infrastructure, yet spring rains overflow infrastructure capacity all the time. Raw sewage is sent rolling down river to feed algae blooms in the Bay. Dead Zones continue to grow in the upper Bay every year.

It is time to redefine our clean up plan. It's time to redefine the priorities of counties and cities. Lobbyists count on the confusion caused when scientific and political interests clash. By dividing any unified fronts, their myopic concerns become more relevant. Unifying the citizens that care only increases the size of the stick we carry. Get informed. Get involved. Everything you do can make a difference.

Clean Water Grant Application Completed and Submitted

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:02:00 +0000

Hello.

Dave, Paula, Celeste, and myself are working hard to get E3 Collaborative up and rolling. We submitted a Clean Water Grant Application this week in hopes of securing funds to drive an Educational Awareness program we've developed. The program would be specific to the Chesapeake Bay watershed and boaters, but could be replicated in other areas around the U.S. with minor adjustments. There is no point in disclosing anything else until we hear word of grant awards in March. Keep your fingers crossed.

If you know of any existing grants that would drive our efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay and her watershed, please let me know.

If you are a business interested in contributing a tax deductible donation or a percentage of your profits to the cause, we are interested in talking to you. If we can get businesses to lock arms and drive change locally, we can increase the cumulative impact of every other Bay focused organization.

If you are someone who is interested in getting involved, please reach out as well. We will be looking for volunteers who are as passionate about this cause as we are.

All my best,

Jo

WEB STORE IS OPEN!

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:56:00 +0000

Well, we have finally got everything tweaked. The Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters Web Store is officially launched. Yes, we are very excited about this. Customers have been calling up and asking about purchasing our coffee online, and now they can do just that.

The 12 month subscription offer is the best deal I've seen on the web. You'll get four pounds of fresh roasted organic coffee delivered to your doorstep at the start of every month. With the 15% discount you'll pay $11.90/pound for gourmet beans....shipping included! If you decide to get four pounds shipped every other month, you'll appreciate a 10% savings per bag. You'll pay $12.60 per pound for gourmet beans....shipping included.

Why give a discount for such a high quality product? We understand that regardless of what the economy does, people will drink coffee. If you read the coffee cost analysis on our blog http://coffee.mobjackbaycoffee.com/2008/11/why-drink-freshly-roasted-gourmet.html you'll see that there is little reason people should compromise taste and freshness because of cost. Freshly roasted gourmet coffee is an AFFORDABLE luxury. The discount is our way of saying THANK YOU for committing to us, our company, and our Chesapeake initiative for the year.

Feel great every morning by treating yourself to this amazing treat...go ahead and pour another, you do make a difference with every cup you drink.

Holiday Greatings and Offers

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 13:52:00 +0000

Happy Holidays!

I'm sorry for the gap in posts but this holiday season has been wonderfully busy. We are doing are best to stock our stores and shops while dealing with shipping delays caused by weather issues in the North East. It's been a juggling act.

Our Internet store will be going live in a matter of weeks, but until then we've been running an email promotion to service our customers in need of gourmet coffee. If you're interested, please drop me an email and I will send you the details. Order enough java and we'll pay for shipping. It's the best deal on the planet for freshly roasted gourmet coffee delivered to your door step.

I haven't offered our espresso in retail stores as it's been reserved for the coffee shops we service. The interest I've received through email about it has me second guessing myself. Start looking for Mobjack Espresso at your local retail outlet, but don't hesitate to call or email if you want it sooner. We'll do our best to accommodate. Also, if you know of a coffee shop you'd like to see carrying our beans, please tell me about them. I can't promise they'll become a customer, but I can say I'll do my best presenting our products to them.

Here's to a wonderful Holiday Season and a Java filled New Year.

Cheers,
Jo

Financial Crisis, Climate Change, Weather Impacting Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:15:00 +0000

Because all coffee is grown between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, it's easy for Americans to lose sight of the agricultural nature of coffee beans. The only state and territory we have in coffee growing country are Hawaii and Puerto Rico respectfully. So we'll continue to post information about coffee crops around the world to increase knowledge and appreciation for our java juice of choice.

It appears that Guatemala is the latest country to report lower yield levels due to a heavy rainy season, increased operational costs, and climate change.

"Bi-cyclical factors have taken a toll on the crop, especially in the area of Atitlan (Sololá), Antigua (Sacatepequez) and Santa Rosa," it said. In addition, climate change has led to a flowering out of season. Chilly winds during the first quarter of 2008 also burned some coffee trees, hence hindering the coming crop.
The main affected areas are Santa Rosa, Antigua (Sacatepequez), Atitlan (Sololá) and Huehuetenango. A prolonged and extremely heavy rainy season has affected the trees in terms of fungal diseases, it added. Guatemala is the largest coffee producer and exporter in Central America; coffee is the main agricultural export, and key to employment in rural areas.
Edited by Marvin G. Perez CoffeeNetwork.com

Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters currently offers coffee from Huehuetenango, and we hope to continue to do so. An interesting note is that operational costs for farmers have increased with rising prices of fertilizer and insecticides, both items organic farmers don't have to deal with. It is unclear how the fungal diseases will impact organic farms, but as more information is released we'll pass it along.

From an economic standpoint, the financial crisis is also impacting coffee exporters/importers. The most important point to take from the Reuters report below is that the financial crisis is causing bottle necks that jam normal operating procedures. From delayed shipments to fluctuating commodity pricing, US importers are struggling to get their arms around issues they can't control. March futures are currently up, but there is no real way to confidently predict pricing. Furthermore, Organic prices have remained relatively stable. It's uncertain if this is an anomaly or a function of fair trade practices, but one thing is for certain, nothing can continue to remain immune to the current financial global crisis.

SINGAPORE/JAKARTA, Nov 17 (Reuters) - An Indonesian coffee exporter is believed to have defaulted on the shipment of around 30,000 tonnes of beans, while another 40,000 tonnes may not be shipped due to falling prices and liquidity problems, industry sources said on Monday.
Talk of defaults by Indonesian exporters resurfaced in Europe late last week, and some dealers said they had refrained from doing business with the world's second-largest robusta producer after Vietnam due to uncertainties in shipments.

A lawyer representing PT Tripanca Group, a major exporter in Indonesia's growing province of Lampung on the island of Sumatra, said two banks had seized beans kept in the company's warehouses due to a problem with loan repayment.
"Some beans belong to suppliers but they have not been paid yet. Some suppliers have also kept their beans at Tripanca's warehouses, waiting for the price to recover," said Albert Tiensa.

"Tripanca owes about 304 billion rupiah ($26 million) to suppliers. It used the beans as a collateral to pay for the loan," told Reuters by telephone.
London coffee prices tumbled to a 17-month low of $1,581 a tonne in late October as fears of global recession spurred selling in soft commodities complex, including coffee, sugar and cocoa.
"We can say there are about 70,000 tonnes of beans at Tripanca's warehouses, and at least 30,000 tonnes have been defaulted," said a senior industry official.
In Indonesia, coffee exporters normally agree on export commitments but delay decisions on prices until after beans have been delivered. Sumatran bean prices track London robusta futures.
Dealers in Lampung said the defaults only affected PT Tripanca and other exporters were struggling to fulfil their contracts despite a drop in coffee prices.
"There's a real default of 30,000 tonnes of beans by Tripanca. The company is suffering from big losses because of sharp drop in coffee prices," said a regional dealer. "There are delays from other exporters but I think the amount is not that much," he said.
Many exporters bought beans from farmers when local prices hovered around 18,000 rupiah a kg ($1.54) in August. The price has since dropped more than 20 percent to 14,000 rupiah, meaning exporters would suffer losses if they shipped out the beans now.
The provinces of Lampung, South Sumatra and Bengkulu account for 75 percent of Indonesia's coffee output. Coffee bean exports from Sumatra nearly doubled in the first 10 months of 2008 supported by bumper harvests, but overseas sales are likely to slow until the end of the year as the main harvest has ended, data showed on Monday. [COF/ID]
The main robusta harvest in Sumatra normally starts from March and peaks in August. Robusta accounts for 85 percent of Indonesia's coffee bean output, while aromatic, higher-value arabica makes up the rest. ($1=11,700 rupiah)

Why Drink Freshly Roasted Gourmet Coffee?

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:06:00 +0000

Mobjack Bay Coffee has been in business for over a year. During this time we have developed relationships with a very diverse customer base. From PhD s to laborers, people that truly love coffee have become loyal customers. One reason for the loyalty is because they think Mobjack Bay Coffee is the best coffee in the world, but there's more to it than that (if there has to be another reason.) Common sense plays a huge role in their decision.

There's an old saying out there that goes something like this, "Penny wise, Dollar Foolish." People will drive five miles out of the way to buy gas at a $0.02 savings. For a 20 gallon tank you've saved $0.40. At 16 miles to the gallon (city) you've burned your savings driving the extra miles to the gas station and back (not to mention soft cost associated with time lost). Yet people seem to get a charge in thinking they've saved money.

Coffee is similar (to MPG vs. actual fuel) in that you get a larger volume of wet coffee to ground coffee when brewed. A gourmet pot of coffee requires 18-20 ounces of water to one ounce of coffee. If you brew a eight cup pot (64 ounces), you would need approximately three ounces of coffee grounds. So let's perform a cost analysis on gourmet vs. generic coffee:

Gourmet coffee costs $14/lb - Generic Coffee costs $6/lb
16 oz in a pound of coffee = $0.87/oz Gourmet - 16 oz in a pound of coffee = $0.38/oz Generic
3 oz coffee/pot = $2.61/gourmet pot - 3 oz coffee/pot = $1.14/generic pot
8 cups /pot = $0.33/gourmet cup - 8 cups/pot = $0.14/generic cup

Now consider that the freshest coffee you'll get in a market is approximately three months old. It's been sitting in a warehouse waiting to be shipped. Then it sits in a grocery store waiting to be purchased. Then is sits in your pantry waiting to be brewed.

Lastly, consider that your pennies go further when you brew a cup of Mobjack Bay Coffee. A percentage is going to support the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay and her watershed for our future generations. Every penny contributes to the capital necessary to make a difference.

So it is our belief that people (our customer base) who truly enjoy freshly roasted gourmet coffee get that they are paying pennies on the dollar more for an extraordinarily satisfying cup of coffee. Why compromise on taste? Why compromise on freshness? They also get that they are making a conscience choice to support a company that believes in Bay restoration, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship. Their dollars go further when they buy our beans.

Life is too short not to enjoy freshly ground and brewed coffee. So go ahead and pour another....you can make a difference with every cup you drink.

Local Business finds value in rot

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:44:00 +0000

Brent & Becky's Bulb Shoppe has been a Gloucester, VA, landmark for years. Their daffodils grace our road sides every spring, and many more of them find a home in our garden dirt or kitchen vases. Those very daffodils stand to benefit because of a program that takes advantage of a fall tradition....carving pumpkins.

They call it the Jack-O-Rotten Recycling Program. Here's how it works: Bring in your old, rotten and saggy pumpkin to Brent & Becky's Bulb Shoppe on 7900 Daffodil Lane, Gloucester County, VA. They will add the pumpkin to their compost pile while sending you home with free Paperwhites (Paperwhite narcissus are one of the easiest bulbs to force for cut flowers or ornamental displays in the home from December to March. They are a form of daffodil that can be forced without a chilling period.) This program runs Tuesday, Nov 1st -Saturday, Nov 8th.

Check out their website: http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/

I love this program because it's smart,insightful, and a model for other small businesses. Brent & Becky's Bulb Shoppe needs compost to produce the healthiest bulbs possible. People create an enormous amount of recyclable waste carving pumpkins. They incentivize people to drop off their jack-o-lanterns by offering free flowers in return. They may lose capital giving away flowers, but it's probably cheaper than buying fertilizer, so their bottom line experiences a net gain. It's a win win for everyone.

Lastly, you can take it a step further by cross connecting the commonalities between business, environment, recycling, and personal responsibility. In this way a pumpkin recycling program creates a lasting impact on our collective consciousness. Every little bit helps...

Solar Energy in NC? What is VA waiting for???

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:23:00 +0000

The article below discusses NC's plan for a solar power plant. What spurred this development? Legislation passed that mandates a percentage of power company reserves come from renewable energy sources. I'd like to see this legislation move north, and at the very least, allow for tax incentives to VA home owners that build or upgrade towards renewable energy technologies. Idea's backed by tax incentives stand a much greater chance of success. People want to do the right thing....so let's make it easy for them to find practical financial reinforcement in ideas that drive both long term energy independence and environmental stewardship.

Western North Carolina To Get First Large-Scale Solar Farm
File image.by Staff WritersAsheville NC (SPX) Oct 28, 2008Three Carolinas companies have partnered to bring the first large-scale solar energy project to Western North Carolina. Progress Energy Carolinas has signed an agreement with FLS Energy to purchase the output from a 1-megawatt (MW) solar power plant on the site of a now-closed landfill in Haywood County owned by Evergreen Packaging.
FLS Energy, based in Black Mountain, will build, own and operate the solar photovoltaic (PV) array and sell the energy produced to the utility for distribution to customers.
"Progress Energy is moving forward aggressively in pursuing renewable energy as part of a balanced strategy for meeting the region's growing energy needs reliably, affordably and in an environmentally responsible fashion," said Robert Sipes, vice president for Progress Energy Carolinas' western N.C. region.
"This is the third megawatt-sized solar project we have signed this year. It combines an important emerging technology with an outstanding location, and we're pleased to be part of it. We're pursuing technology, partnerships and other agreements to expand the use of renewable energy in North Carolina. Innovative projects such as this one will be critical in meeting our state's objectives for renewable energy in the future."
The FLS Energy solar farm will include 3,288 PV panels installed on about seven acres at the closed landfill. Evergreen Packaging, located near Canton, will lease the land to FLS Energy for 20 years, the term of the power-purchase agreement. This PV array is expected to start producing electricity in the spring of 2009.
FLS Energy President Michael Shore said, "Solar energy is a critical component in our energy future. FLS Energy is extremely proud to be at the forefront of commercial solar development in our region. Expanding solar energy will improve our nation's energy security and reduce global warming pollution."
"Energy costs and environmental concerns are critical to every business," said Derric Brown, the director of Health and Environmental Safety for Evergreen Packaging. "We are happy to make this site available for a project that is good for Western North Carolina now and in the future. It is an excellent re-use of a closed landfill site."
A PV array is a collection of solar cells, each consisting of thin layers of semiconducting material (silicon) that generate electricity when exposed to sunlight. This 1-MW array is expected to produce more than 1.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity over the course of a year.
An average home in Progress Energy Carolinas' service area uses about 14,200 kWh in a year. In addition to its investment in solar power generation, Progress Energy will be testing battery storage technology so that solar power generated when the sun is shining can be stored and used at other times when customers need it.
FLS Energy proposed the latest solar PV project in response to Progress Energy Carolinas' request for renewable energy proposals, which is part of the company's plan to meet the requirements of Senate Bill 3, North Carolina's clean energy law signed into law by Governor Easley in August of 2007.
The law established a renewable and energy-efficiency portfolio standard, which requires utilities to provide a portion of their energy sales using renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. For Progress Energy Carolinas, that portion grows from 3 percent of total energy sales in 2012 to 12.5 percent in 2021. For solar-generated energy, the requirement begins in 2010.

Weather impacting Coffee in Colombia

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 23:39:00 +0000

Hello Java Junkies.

The news on the wire isn't really good for Colombian Coffee. Take a look at the report below:

Outlook Grim for Colombia's Antioquia Main Coffee Harvest - Growers Outlook Grim for Colombia's Antioquia Main Coffee Harvest - Growers (CoffeeNetwork) Antioquia, an important coffee producing region in Colombia has started harvest of what's locally know as the main or principal crop, and the outlook looks grim for production, according to top sector representatives. According to Iván Arango Arcila, a director of the local coffee committee of the National Federation of Coffee Growers says that the harvest will sharply reduced if not altogether "poor". The crop will be picked from October to January. According to Mr. Arango Arcila, data gathered from growers point to a harvest of 1.5 million 60-kilo bags, which would be sharply down from the 2.5 million bags expected initially. Some regions, in particular in higher altitudes, show declines between 40-50%, he told daily El Colombiano. The estimates come amid traders' talk that Colombia's differentials remain very high for this time of year and coffee slows unusually sparse, which has raised concerns about the overall supply this time of year. Juan Francisco Suárez Moreno, producer and also a Committee representative, agrees that some areas in the region may see a decline of up 50%, mainly affected by a severe rainy season, which soaked plantings. In addition, receiving stations at cooperatives have seen little coffee flowing, plus many producers in areas around Andes, Ciudad Bolivar and Salgar have said they had no big need for labor as they have in recent years. "It's probable that the harvest will fall a bit, but I don't know what will be the size of the drop," said Luis Fernando Botero Franco, executive director at the local Federation Committee, according to the report. He said that the rains have wreaked havoc across the region and that the renovation program led by the Federation is also having an effect on the overall production as many new plants are not in production yet. The Federation is renovating 10,000 hectares per year in the area, as part of an overall effort to take the national output to 17 million bags over the next few years, which would be up from 12.6 million bags in 2007-08. The Antioquia region has about 129,000 hectares planted with coffee, harvested by 88,000 families. Annually, the committee invests 15 billion pesos in community projects. As reported, the Federation said this week that it expects the 2008-09 crop around 12 million bags, down almost 5% on year from 12.6 million bags, in part hurt by excessive rains and also by the renovation program. In MY 2007-08 (Oct-Sep) Colombia exported 11,522,000 bags, up 3% on year from 11,177,000 bags shipped a year earlier. Production in the first nine months of 2008 summed 8,501,000 bags, down 1% versus 8,593,000 bags harvested a year earlier. The 12-month production from Oct. 2007 to Sep. 2008 stood now at 12,515,000 bags, up almost 3% from 12,153,000 bags a year ago. Colombia is the world's largest producer and exporter of Washed-Arabica coffee. Edited by Marvin G. Perez Tuesday, October 28 2008, 09:38

What does this mean?
Well it's too early to tell, but coffee is a commodity. If the supply is low, prices generally trend upwards.

Will this impact coffee markets around the globe?
Generally speaking I'd say no. However, because Colombia is the worlds largest producer of Arabica Coffee, I would expect some lateral price inflation in the gourmet (Arabica) market.

Is weather the only thing that impacts coffee prices?
Interestingly enough the answer is no. Anything that impacts the availability of beans to the market impacts pricing. For instance, Ethiopian coffee's are pricing very high right now. The weather isn't a factor, but rather, farmers are growing high yield narcotics that return more for the effort. The supply of Ethiopian beans on the market is decreasing, causing prices to rise.

I'll be keeping my eyes open for high cupping coffees from other regions of the world. There are farms that meet my fair trade and environmental requirements experiencing exceptional growing seasons....I'll let you know when my new lots comes in.

Pour another cup....

Jo

Updates on the non-profit and coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:49:00 +0000

Hello. I wanted to post the latest and greatest details about E3 Trust. Well, Dave and I had to change the name. It appears that you can not use TRUST in your Virginia based company name unless you are an actual trust or financial institution. We have therefore officially changed the name of the non-profit to E3 Collaborative. The E's stand for Environment, Education, and Energy. That's all I can really say about the company right now. We are currently crossing our T's and dotting our I's. I'll post more info when appropriate.

With regards to Coffee.....We are officially providing coffee for Twister Ice Cream and Coffee Shop at Gloucester Point and Tuscany's Coffee House in Yorktown. Tuscany's will be opened before November 1. Once I get a confirmed date I'll pass along the news.

Lastly, I've received many emails requesting information about purchasing our coffee. Thank you for the interest! Our online store will be operational soon, but until then you can send me an email order and I'll ship out your beans. If you're located in Eastern VA, look for our coffee at your local Independent Grocery Store or farmers market.

Here's to coming home from a weekend away, sleeping in your own bed, reading to your little one, and drinking fresh roasted coffee.....Cheers

The word is getting out...

noreply@blogger.com (Water Bean) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:25:00 +0000

Hello Coffee Junkies!

I am happy to announce that the news about our organic coffee is getting out. We have just signed on a couple of coffee houses that will be exclusively serving our freshly roasted beans within a few weeks. Stay tuned and I'll let the cat out of the bag when they're grinding away and pouring freshly brewed java.

Here's to the small beans that enrich life....Cheers
Jo