Shade Grown Coffee From Golden Valley Farms

I was recently contacted by Golden Valley Farms of West Chester Pennsylvania. They are a family owned coffee roasting company that specializes in organic shade grown coffee . They have been working with Robert Rice at the Smithsonian Institution since July 3, 2008 to market and help bring awareness to the many benefits of the Bird-Friendly® Coffees. They are now the official coffee roaster for all coffee served to visitors at the National Zoo.

I received a coffee sampler which contained individual packets of shade grown coffee from Mexico, Columbia, Peru, and El Salvador. Each sample had its own unique flavor. The beans are carefully selected and hand roasted in small batches to ensure that the quality stays consistent. I'm not a coffee critic so I won't bother telling you how one coffee has a nutty flavor while another seems to have a hint of chocolate. The Colombian had a bold flavor, the Peruvian was smooth and mellow. All of the coffee was fresh and flavorful. The only one I didn't try yet was the decaf seen in the photo ( I don't bother with decaf). Most importantly, beans used to produce this coffee from plants that were grown using shade grown and organic methods. This means more preserved forests for migratory birds and less pesticides.

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Let's continue to get the word about shade grown coffee. Maybe give it as gifts during the holidays instead of one of those fruitcakes or brew a pot at work to share with your co-workers. Every little bit helps!