Getting Through
"The Thin Months" in Mexico
Coffee farmers in Chiapas, Mexico, greet the rainy months between May and September with a mix of hope and trepidation. Consistent rainfall is vital to their crops, but too much water makes their rural dirt roads impassable. The price of beans and corn goes up, just when income from the coffee harvest is depleted. These are "los meses flacos," or the thin months, when families make ends meet by eating less, eating cheaper foods, or borrowing against their future.
New Solutions
Green Mountain Cofee and Heifer International® are working together to find sustainable solutions to hunger in communities where coffee beans for Heifer Hop Blend are grown. Members of CESMACH, a coffee cooperative high in the mountains of southern Chiapas, are now planting fruit trees to supplement their diet and diversify their income. As with other Heifer projects, they are "passing on the gift" of turkeys, chickens, rabbits, sheep, and beehives. Families that were once completely dependent on coffee for income are finding new ways to feed themselves and improve their quality of life.
Preserving a Natural Treasure
At the same time, Green Mountain Coffee is helping CESMACH train their members in sustainable farming practices. All of CESMACH's members live near El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve, an extraordinary cloud forest that is home to the resplendent quetzal, spider monkey, jaguar, and tapir. In the buffer zone surrounding the reserve, family farmers grow coffee beans for Heifer Hope Blend organically, under the shade of the forest canopy.
With Heifer Hope Blend, you can enjoy great taste while supporting fammily farmers and preserving natural habitats.
Learn more about Fair Trade.