Welcome the the Birds and Beans Blog! About 10 years ago we set out on this journey of sustainable business, coffee and birds – and from now on we’re going to share the journey with you on this blog.

We love animals, plants and wild spaces. We also love coffee. So what better business to be in than one that helps protect habitat for some of the most vulnerable species on the planet just by drinking coffee?

We could have started a typical artisanal coffee roastery — seeking out the best beans from coffee farms around the world, and roasting them to perfection and selling them while they’re still fresh.

But that would have been too easy.

The truth of the matter is, that despite the marketing hype, much of the so-called “artisanal coffees” come from chemical-doused, shade-less fields. We’ve set the bar even higher. Not only do we seek the best coffee, but it also must be grown in harmony with nature rather than dominating nature. Hence our tagline: “A richer taste, a richer earth.®”

This means it has to be Organic. Certified Organic not “Trust me” organic. It must be grown in rustic, diverse, shaded ecosystems in order to provide the precious habitat birds and other creatures require. The gold standard for the habitat certification is the SMBC Bird Friendly® designation, which we’ll discuss more in future posts.

We’ll also blog about coffee, what to look for when you buy, and how to make a great cup at home. We’ll write about where our coffee comes from and why. We’ll examine the various certification schemes and keep you posted on the news from the certification bodies. We’ll talk about the environment and some simple things you can do to tread a little more lightly on the planet. And we’ll highlight some of our products, as all, this was designed to show you can have a business that puts the environment first!