Let's Talk Coffee!

Ok, so anyone that knows me, knows I like my espresso based drinks (read Lattes)! I was once that guy who lines up at the big chain brand coffee shops. You know those spots.... No one knows your name, your drink, or even cares to try, and the coffee is okay at best! More importantly most of these big chain shops are not organic, possibly use GMO milks, and have never even heard of fair trade.

After digging around, things changed for me. I realized that it is possible to do something with even just a simple cup of coffee. You get a better flavoured coffee, you get chemical and GMO free milks and beans which are better for your body, you help the struggling coffee farmer, and you get friendly staff who understand the meaning and value of good customer service!

Enter your local coffee house.... I'll introduce you to two of my favourites.


FAIR GROUNDS ORGANIC Cafe and Roastery


Located at 3785 Lake Shore Blvd. W just east of Lake Shore and Browns Line in Long Branch. This is the coffee house I frequent the most. The owner Jeffrey Stinson and his staff of baristas are top notch with friendly smiles and good conversations. Fair Grounds has a loyal following and there is a reason for this. The espresso and coffee tastes great, the choice of various teas are vast, and the baked goods are to die for! Also they support the environment and community.

All Fair Grounds coffee is Certified Fair Trade. Fair Trade products, help producers in developing countries to obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. Secondly all their products are organic, they are grown without any synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. So not only are you supporting farming communities who are passed over by large corporations, you are supporting your own body, by keeping those nasty chemicals away from it.

Stop by and grab a coffee or tea, and try a brownie or muffin, they are open everyday 6am - 9pm. You can check them out at http://fairgroundscoffee.ca/


BIRDS AND BEANS

This coffee house is located in the Mimico neighbourhood of Etobicoke on the south side at 2413 Lake Shore Blvd West. Birds and Beans takes organic, fair trade coffee to a different level, the birds.

Coffee plants by nature are a shade loving tree, grown under the canopy of rain forests with no chemicals.  However, over the last couple of decades the coffee industry has developed a tree that can withstand sun and provides a higher yield, thus the coffee growers have started clear-cutting forest land. Many farms shifted away from shade to a coffee requiring huge quantities of fertilizer, insecticide and herbicide, to survive on the hot sunlit farm. This clear cutting has robbed migratory birds and wildlife of their breeding grounds and winter homes.

Birds and Beans recognized this and offer you Bird Friendly coffees supplied by small growers who continue to grow coffee in the traditional way on farms with shade canopies.

You can find out more at http://www.birdsandbeans.ca