We started this Homeland Organic coffee market to provide green and roasted coffee to those wishing to support the Social and Environmental Justice issues of Fair Trade and Organic Farming.
Frankly, these products cost a little more, because it costs Homeland Organic Coffee in Baltimore more to pay Fair Trade prices. Green Organic coffee and Bird Safe coffee farming methods are more costly also, because yields from these types of farms are lower than those produced by tradition coffee growing methods. So, because you are like us you will see that these coffee products are value-added and providing a market place for these products is a worthy enterprise. Homeland Organic coffee in Baltimore can only provide this market place if we provide quality organic coffee products and a great shopping experience.
Homeland Organic Coffee in Baltimore's goal is three-fold: to help protect our precious Earth’s environment, to provide fair wages to coffee growers for fair work, and to provide complete customer satisfaction. A happy customer is a repeat customer. Thanks for taking part in our green coffee marketplace effort.
What is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade is much more than a fair price! Fair Trade principles include:
Fair price: Democratically organized farmer groups receive a guaranteed minimum floor price and an additional premium for certified organic products. Farmer organizations are also eligible for pre-harvest credit
Fair labor conditions: Workers on Fair Trade farms enjoy freedom of association, safe working conditions, and living wages. Forced child labor is strictly prohibited.
Direct trade: With Fair Trade, importers purchase from Fair Trade producer groups as directly as possible, eliminating unnecessary middlemen and empowering farmers to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
Democratic and transparent organizations: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers decide democratically how to invest Fair Trade revenues.
Community development: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers invest Fair Trade premiums in social and business development projects like scholarship programs, quality improvement trainings, and organic certification.
Environmental sustainability: Harmful agrochemicals and GMOs are strictly prohibited in favor of environmentally sustainable farming methods that protect farmers’ health and preserve valuable ecosystems for future generations.
(source: Fair Trade USA http://www.transfairusa.org/content/about/overview.php )
What is Organic?
Organic Farming is a term which refers to farming practices that exclude the use of synthetic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. In place of these synthetic substances organic farmers rely on composting, crop rotation, green manure, and pests controlled in biological ways. Raising live stock under organic principles would be doing so without the use of growth hormones and feeding their animals feed stock which did not include genetically modified ingredients.
For a more comprehensive explanation see: The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements
What is Bird Friendly?
Bird Friendly coffee is grown under the canopy of larger trees which provide shade to the coffee trees which grow in the understory. Bird Friendly coffee is also frequently referred to as "Shade Grown" coffee. The intension with this type of coffee growing is to maintain bird habitat for migratory birds which find sanctuary in forest-like environments, according to Migratory Bird Center.