The Blue Moose

Alfred Peet

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:29:00 +0000

Peets Coffee in Portland

An immigrant from the Netherlands, Alfred Peet began roasting coffee in California in the sixties. His first coffee shop is still open in North Berkley near the University of California. He became friends with the three founders of Starbucks and they bought their first beans from Peet in the early seventies. Alfred Peet died in 2007 at the age of 87. Jerry Baldwin one of the three original owners of Starbucks bought Peets in 1984 after selling Starbucks to Howard Schultz, Starbucks present owner.

So the following morning, after the ambush, I thought I’d get another cup of coffee from Peets. “Do you have a light roast?” I knew part of the ambush was the incredible dark burnt roast the previous morning. “Sorry, all of our coffees are on the dark side”, he replied. I added my portion of half and half, sat down and took the first sip. We all need a second chance don’t we? Satisfied we packed up and left Portland for Lincoln City on the Oregon coast. I will visit Peets again.

We give Starbucks too much credit for bringing Italy to North America. It really was Alfred Peet. Thanks Al!

SCAA Portland and Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 03:38:00 +0000

Coffee event of the year was hosted in Portland, Oregon - a city passionate about everything. Boundaries here are hard to find. Entrepreneurs run wild, opening businesses where only weeds grow. The only prerequisite to start a business here is that you have three credit cards. Portland has an abundance of roasters, micro brewers and distillers, all making it work in a unique community.

Forty countries were represented, ten thousand people attended. Seminars ranged from creating star baristas to the sustainability of the coffee farms around the world. Every inch of the massive show floor was buzzing with everything to do with coffee; large roaster machines, countries showing their coffee, to cash registers and funky food. A coffee aficionado’s paradise.

The first morning we walked into the popular Peets Coffehouse, confident, knowing the coffee will be good. The first sip entered my mouth like an ambush. By the time my eyeballs adjusted, it was over. Nothing left. No lingering warm after taste of a nutty or floral sweetness. No, gone! Overwhelming disappointment. I hate that.

So the next try was at Public Domain. Sort of like going into a corporate office. Menu only had coffee. Wow, these guys are serious. “Americano with room, please.” Did I say, “with room”? Quickly I scanned the room for a condiment table; whew, they did have sugar and milk. A pretentious place, no doubt, yet I appreciated their adventurous approach to coffee. Pushing the boundaries. O right, this Is Portland.

I love coffee!

More memories of coffee...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin Gossen) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:38:00 +0000

Here are a couple more entries for our coffee memories contest, shared by patrons:

Back in the early nineties in Sydney, Nova Scotia, there was not a lot to do after 10:00 at night. You could hang out at a friend's, go to the show, drive around, or go for coffee. After shooting the drag for an hour or so, we would inevitably end up at Jasper's--the only 24 hour restaurant in town. We'd slide into the padded vinyl seats of a big booth, order appetizers, maybe dessert, and the coffee was bottomless. Sarah was liberal with the sugar: white streams of it in each refill. The waitresses were quick to spot an emptying cup, materializing with the round glass pot to replenish the black steaming brew: "Can I top you up, dear?" At the end of our night we'd have gone through at least a full pot, half the sugar, a shift of waitresses, and several rounds of truckers, taxi drivers, and recent bar patrons looking to sober up enough to get home It all made for good entertainment.

Jasper's is closed and gone now. There's nowhere quite the same to loiter over coffee into the wee hours of tomorrow, but I can always get together with friends and remember the good times, chatting over a cup of coffee or five.

-Submitted by Margaret Mattheis

Here's another from Anna Gladue, from our own town of Hope:

This goes back over 30 years. I couldn't have been more than four or five years old. It was always so much fun to stay at my Buby and Zaida's house (my grandparents), I got to have dinner in front of the television, breakfast in bed, treats, outing, name it! But the best part was coffee with breakfast.

They would put one or two tablespoons of their brewed coffee into a coffee cup (HAD to be a coffee cup) and fill it with milk. Must be why I drink two pots a day now. :)

Thanks for sharing folks! We will be announcing our winners soon! Makes me curious about what the nostalgic coffee-related memories will be of today's generation of young people...

Everyone's got a story...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin Gossen) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:02:00 +0000

My earliest memories of coffee go back much further than when I decided to start drinking it myself. Coffee, more accurately coffee time,was a part of daily life since as far back as I can remember. Coffee was the thing I had to wait for my parents to finish before they could attend to my pressing needs--a ride to the local pool, or help navigating MS DOS to play computer games. There were always endless cups of coffee to be finished. Now that I'm older I appreciate that my parents have made a habit of sitting down together to pause the frenzy of daily life, to enjoy the simple pleasures of conversation and coffee (and usually cookies).

If you haven't heard yet, we are currently hosting a little contest at the Blue Moose in an effort to collect some stories about early memories of coffee. We're trying to capture the experience of coffee, reaching back to the time before there was a Starbucks on every corner. The coffee itself may not have been anything special, but that's not really what this is about.

To get you thinking about your own stories, here's our first entry, sent to us from Drew:

It was the summer of 1990. I was 18, my brother was 20, and he had a 1979 Honda Civic. We drove to the Rockies to climb mountains and quickly ran out of money. We had to get back to Vancouver as quickly as possible to conserve funds. On the way home we came through the Okanagan on a beautiful August evening. We had scrambled to the true summit of Mt Norquay above Banff that morning and were dead tired. We stopped at an A&W in Kelowna for dinner and with our burgers had giant cups of coffee – a first for me as I had never drunk it beyond a sip before. Black, crappy coffee served up almost boiling hot from a glass carafe. Heading out of Kelowna as the sun set we were listening to old 1930’s radio serial dramas on the car AM radio until the station faded somewhere on the Connector. We came into Hope around midnight and everything was closed. The caffeine buzz faded out west of Hope along the 1 and we ended up sleeping for two hours, our seats tilted back as far as they would go, with the car pulled off on a dead-end side road near Herrling Island. Next morning the next coffees went down easier in Chilliwack and we made it home by 8 AM, ahead of the morning rush hour and me with $2.69 in mixed change left in my wallet.

Nothing so memorable as that first cup of scalding, crappy coffee. Thanks Drew! If you want to enter our contest (you could win a $50 Blue Moose giftcard!) send your entries of 250-ish words to Wes at info@bluemoosecafe.com.

The Best Part of Being a Barista...

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:51:00 +0000

The thing about being a barista is, most of us love coffee. I will admit, this is not my ultimate career destination. But having a fun job that sparks my interest in the mean time makes me pretty lucky.

And what better match to being a barista than customers that love coffee just as much as I do? Us coffee lovers gotta stick together. So lets talk about some of the things we (because I think I speak for all of us) love to hear from our customers!

"Surprise me!" --Looking to mix it up a little? Feeling adventurous? I loving getting this request because I get to share my favorite or introduce you to something you had never heard of.
"What's your favorite?" --Me? You're asking me? Well funny you should ask... -It's always nice to know customers value my opinion.
"Help! This is my first time in a place like this." --Not to fear. There is a first for everything. I love to share my knowledge about all things 'bean' related if you ask.
"I want something ________, but I'm not sure what to order." A lot of us are able to customize drinks according to your taste. Want a latte, but nothing too sweet? Honey cinnamon latte. Need a serious caffeine fix? How about an americano with an extra shot. Looking to spice things up? Try an aztec hot chocolate. Can't have caffeine but still need some energy? We have rooibos espresso.
The Guessing Game. Ok, maybe this is weird (we all have our quirks). But sometimes, I play this mental game: When a customer walks in the door, I try and guess what they're going to order. I'm not talking regular, predictable customers (Although, you are just as important). I mean people I've never seen before. I might think, "This looks like a no-nonsense brewed coffee kinda guy," or "these girls are probably going to get pumpkin lattes or something along those lines." Sometimes I'm totally wrong, because, let's face it, you can never really tell.

So don't be shy. Talk to your barista!

Zen and the Art of Lattes

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin Gossen) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:20:00 +0000

For readers who may be unfamiliar with exactly what latte art is, the picture says most of it. It’s a design created by pouring perfectly foamed milk in just the right rhythm and pattern, so that as the foam separates from the milk, it rises to the surface of the espresso creating a design. Common designs are hearts, rosettas (a fern-like flower), or, if you are me, something resembling an amorphous blob or an alien fetus. Sigh.

One of the fun things about training new baristas at the Blue Moose is watching them attempt to pour latte art. Now you might think that this has a whiff of cruelty about it…me, the sadistic veteran barista somehow enjoying the sight of a frustrated rookie chasing that perfect pour. But I assure you, with heartfelt sincerity, that’s not what this is about (um, not entirely). The truth is, there is just nothing quite like the first time you manage to create something that looks more like a rosetta, and less like an alien fetus. And seeing other people have this experience is pretty fun too.

Here are a few of the key components to successfully creating latte art:

· The espresso: latte art requires a good layer of crema, which is the rich brown layer of emulsified oils that will result from a properly extracted shot of espresso

· The foam: micro-foam has teeny tiny bubbles, so small that the milk has a gorgeous, glossy, velvety texture (the reason that I die a little inside everytime someone orders a no foam latte)

· The pour: as the steamed milk is poured into the cup, the barista has to keep in mind timing (the foam separates from the milk as it’s poured) while at the same time wiggling the pitcher in just the right way

If it all works out, the very best part is seeing the customer go: “wow!” Like a well plated entrée in a restaurant, latte art lets our customers know that we take pride in our work…even if sometimes it looks more like a funny-shaped cloud that a flower.

Filedelphia Plantation

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 05:55:00 +0000

Seeing the old refurbished green army trucks drive through Antigua bothered me. Even though "Filedelphia Plantation Tours" was boldly printed on the side with large white letters, I foundmyself feeling bad every time I saw one. Before I arrived in Guatemala I had read a little about the civil war mostly because we were going to go to El Quiche which had suffered the most atrocities. In fact our destination was the town of Chajul which was hardest hit. Rigoberta Menchu who got the Nobel Peace Prize for her book on the civil war writes about the massacre that took place at the town center in Chajul. Even though the details of her account are disputed, the truth is that a massacre did happen and many people were killed. The complicated civil war was fueled by greed, power, fear and poverty which resulted in the displacement of over a million people in the region and over one hundred thousand people were killed or went missing in that area alone. I had talked to a young Guatemalan man at the Blue Moose who explained how awful it was because the army was killing their own people. I've never been to a place that has suffered so much in recent times and going there I thought about it often.

So now sitting in the back of one of these trucks, driving down a dirt road heading for the plantation I wondered if these trucks could talk.

I began to imagine rifles perched on the railings I was holding on to. Young soldiers crowded in the back wearing camouflage fatigues, sweaty, dirty, cursing, smoking and bragging about their last kill. Heavy rings of ammunition hanging around their necks swaying as the truck made its way through the ruts and pot holes in the road. I could almost hear the grinding gears, smell the diesel as the row of trucks snaked their way through the many hairpin turns of the Cuchumatanes Mountain Range. I can only imagine the tension in the back of the truck as adrenaline and testosterone fueled their anger and rage because of the propaganda forced into the minds of these young Guatemalan men. And then silence, only the deep roar of the engine as it made its last turn into the town. I imagined the horror on the faces of the Mayan people when these trucks would come grunting down the street with a cloud of dust rising above the trees and buildings. Men, women and children running to take cover. Machetes facing automatic guns, then the blood, the agony. I could only imagine and try to feel.

Sitting properly in our seats, dressed like foreigners with camera's clicking we made our way down the dusty road to the plantation. Looking at coffee like looking at wild animals in the zoo.

I enjoyed the tour mostly because of the comprehensive hands on look at coffee from the plant to roasting. This got my mind back to reality. We looked closely at plants, picked some beans, pinched out the seed, tasted the green bean and every step was carefully explained. Then we climbed back into the trucks and made our way back to the plant. Here we learned how the beans are separated, washed, dried, inspected and graded for quality. Finally the beans make their way to the roasting plant.

At the end of the tour I turned to our guide and asked him who was their biggest buyer. He asked who do you think? I said Starbucks. Right, ninety percent of what they produce goes to Starbucks. Jeff and I smiled. I knew they weren't fair trade and he admitted that they were only semi-organic.

I still didn't like seeing those army trucks.

Pictures: 1-The old army truck 2-Town center in Chajul 3-Drying beans at Filedelphia

www.rdaltoncoffee.com/5_0_tour.html

Quick Filler

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:05:00 +0000

"Where coffee is served there is grace and splendor." Anon

Today is training day for two new barista's at the Blue Moose. Over the years we have developed a training program that has to be completed before new staff become barista's.

This starts with them having to watch four video's:

a) Ten minute video we produced here at the Moose. We go over the basics with our equipment on creating the perfect shot.
b) Video on advanced techniques including latte art.
c) Two video's, Black Gold and Black Coffee which are documentaries on the history of coffee and on the economic impact of coffee in the world.

Secondly, we have a meeting where I talk about the history again, why we believe in fair trade, and understanding the "spirit of coffee". I finish the session by explaining why coffee is important to the Blue Moose.

Thirdly, they get hands on training on the espresso machine, pulling shots, steaming milk and creating several drinks. This can be a fun step, lot's of action, lots of laughs, we've even had customers come up and watch.

Finally at some point we all make a field trip to Ethical Bean, the company we buy our coffee from. This is where Aaron and Jeff take us through the roasting procedures before landing up in the Lab where we all cup the coffee. Cupping is alot like wine tasting. This is where they are enlightened to the many satisfying tastes of coffee.

Found this blog sometime ago. Enjoy.

Written by Kelsey Kudak of Minneapolis

In a city like Minneapolis—where neighborhood communities have distinct presences—frequenting local mom and pop coffee shops is easy to do. Whether known as an artsy hiatus or for its local produce, each neighborhood has its correlating cafés, and while common chains also spatter the sidewalks, I am able to make my own choices about the coffee I drink. But I am able to make these choices because I understand that purchasing coffee is more complex than laying two dollars down on the counter. In frequenting new places, knowing the right questions to ask is essential: Where are these beans from? Do you know the farm? The farmer? What is their quality, and how much was paid for them? Even if they are not certified Fair Trade, what can you tell me about the condition in which they were grown? Unless the owner of the shop is present, though, the area is usually gray. I’ve also found that firing any number of these questions at a barista can be particularly overwhelming—especially for the one who got the gig as a summer job and is just learning to pull a shot of espresso. Because of this—that many of these baristas do not know about the beans they are preparing—I find myself clinging only to fair trade or others that are advertised with a certification in cafés. There are other, unmarked options for sustainable coffee, but if a barista lacks knowledge about the shop’s practices, I have no other option than to choose the brew that is certified and labeled. It seems, then, one solution for the confused consumer relies in part on the barista who prepares his or her coffee. If baristas are well versed in the espresso they pull and can engage a customer in a conversation about it, we have found a way to both incite a consumer’s personal interest in his or her coffee and bring light to the system itself.
Link to the blog...
http://benevolent-improvisations.blogspot.com/

Fernando’s Kaffee

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:42:00 +0000

"Fair Trade is bullshit!" Fernando said

The director of a local orphanage we visited told us that we must go and see Fernando's, a local roaster and coffee shop owner in Antigua. He said that Fernando was so fastidious about quality that he only sells whole bean coffee. Once you grind coffee the freshness and quality deteriorates quicker. He explained to Fernando that he was staying in a hotel and didn't have access to a grinder. Fernando told him to buy a grinder and that when he was finished staying in the hotel, he would buy the grinder back. And so he did.

When I think about marketing for the Blue Moose I do so with the song Bonnie Rait sings, "Lets give them something to talk about" echoing in my mind. Well this little event gave Jeff and I something to talk about and almost an urgency in wanting to visit and talk to Fernando and so we did.

There are three rooms to Fernando's Kaffee. You enter through the small retail store where the waitress greets you then takes you through the office before entering the main seating area. The small courtyard café was full of lush green tropical plants, tables surrounded the open air yard where several Mayan ladies were weaving. We sat down, I ordered a small pastry and cappuccino. It was a natural setting to talk about coffee, God, church, and travelling, which Jeff and I did often. Finishing the pastry I pulled out my camera, lit my cigarette and just enjoyed the moment with the soothing ambience in the spirit of coffee. The cappuccino was one of the best I had in Antigua.

On our way out we met Fernando. I told him we were here on a coffee trip wondering how Fair Trade was impacting the Guatemalan farmers. "It's bullshit!" he said. Surprised and feeling a little offended by this blasphemous comment I asked him why. He began to explain how he buys directly from the farmer and will pay two dollars plus for a pound of good quality coffee. "If the quality isn't there I won't buy the coffee. I will pay top dollar for quality and the farmer knows it. I call it Smart Trade." He goes on to say, all Fair Trade does is demand a higher price for lower quality and this will only drive up the price of true quality coffee. This is good for the local farmer as he makes about forty cents more a pound than the Fair Trade price.

My belief and understanding is that Fair Trade is about the quality and really for the same reason Fernando had. I know that at Ethical Bean, where I buy from, they inspect all the coffee they buy to assure that the quality hasn't been compromised by either the farmer or the exporter.

Fernando had a small roaster in the shop and began roasting us a few pounds of coffee to take home. In between checking the beans as they were roasting he let us taste some chocolate covered cacao nuts. Now they were delicious. He told us how cacao is indigenous to Guatemala. That near the ocean the soil and weather conditions are ideal for cacao but most of the land there is used to grow sugar. He seemed to get more energized as he told us that he was getting involved with a friend to increase the production there by acquiring more land. We made our way into the office area where he showed us pictures of this area and of cacao trees. I began to see Fernando more as an entrepreneur and opportunist with flair for regional marketing, and like any good business person, he was concerned about his margins.

We paid for our coffee, bought some chocolate covered cacao nuts, and thanked him for taking the time to talk to us. I knew now that the answers I was looking for in regards to Fair Trade were only becoming more questions. In the mean time Fernando made a good sale.

Tony the Stoner

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 04:02:00 +0000

Along the sidewalk in Antigua I noticed a door partly open and above it something about coffee. Jeff and I slowly opened the door and walked into a poorly lit room. Amongst the clutter and dirt; the place resembled a retail store. An old beat up roaster filled the one corner, a few lost beans scattered on the counter and empty coffee bins. Not seeing anyone I hesitantly called out "Hello", not knowing if I really wanted to see who was responsible for all of this. After a couple of hellos, a shaggy hair white guy stood up from behind the counter, he looked a lot like an old failed rocker from the sixties. He spoke English and was obviously from the US, at least many years ago. I peered behind the counter to see where he got up from and noticed a mattress of old burlap coffee bags.

I was intrigued. "Are you from the US?" I asked him, "Yep." "Where abouts?" - hoping for a little more. I remember him stirring something in an old thermo mug and between sips he began to tell his story about the oil rights he had in Texas… missing my questions all together. And without worrying about whether the story made sense he began explaining how Wolf Blitzer and CNN were out to sue him. After a couple of variations of the story Jeff left quietly and being the nice guy I continued to listen. I really wanted to hear his story, about how he came to Antigua and what inspired him to open this coffee roasting business. I tried to imagine the place with customers and friends but something had taken the life out of it. Left was someone paranoid, wrapped up in his own stories. I interrupted him with a "thanks" and left to find Jeff. It was like we entered a time capsule.

Why was I intrigued with Tony? Maybe it's just one of those moments when the image you get is like a painting. Everyday items scattered through the dimly lit room seemed to stand still in time. Their journey, their purpose a mystery, including Tony. And so it is now, a mystery, a story that could be told many different ways.

In some ways Tony and I are very similar. I'm an entrepreneur, so is he. I love coffee, so does he. I have things scattered around, so does he, and I was kind of an old rocker from the seventies. I want to say, "but for the grace of God", but maybe he beat me to it.

Coffee in Antigua

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 05:49:00 +0000

It was our first day in Antigua and I really just wanted a good cup of coffee. In the main shopping strip across from the downtown park was the & Cafe. Walking into this cafe was alot like walking into a cafe in Canada. From the way things were displayed, the chalk boards, the lighting and trendy signage, it all looked alot like Blendz. I got my tall double long americano with cream and sat down in the comfy chairs. It was good.

Roul was the young district manager for the Guatemalan owned chain of coffee shops. He spoke english well and was proud to be the Guatemalan Barista Champion. He told me how he was at the World Barista Championship in Norway a few months ago and that he was going to the SCAA in Atlanta this spring. I was excited about this connection and we talked alittle about doing an employee exchange. After getting his email address I told him I'd see him in Atlanta.

It was a good beginning to the trip.

Roul is second from the left.

Elizabeth Reid

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:07:00 +0000

Sometime in 2006

I can't remember if I ever sold her or gave her a cup of coffee.

She came in one day asking for me. She was little, with white short hair, probably in her mid eighties. After introducing herself she asked me if I would be willing to sell her book that she had written. I asked to see it, she explained it was her theory on the story of a British soldier, O'Hea, who received the Victoria Cross for an act of bravery in Canada. The book was, "The Singular Journey of O'Hea's Cross".

http://www.oheascross.com/,

It wasn't the book that got my attention, it was her charm, her intuitiveness, and obviously a very intelligent lady. We chatted about all sorts of things as one topic led to another. I found out that she had worked with CBC in Winnipeg on the "Hymn Sing" program. In fact she was there at the inception of the program. When I was very young I remember vividly that every Sunday at 6pm my parents would watch "Hymn Sing" on an old black and white TV before going to church.

Then she asked if I had seen the documentary "Black Coffee". I had seen parts of it on Knowledge Network and was trying to get a copy of it. She said I must see it. We talked more about coffee before she asked me again if I would be willing to sell her book in the coffee shop. I couldn't say no.

I went home and scowered the Internet trying to find out where I could quickly find a copy of the documentary. When I finally got a copy I was convicted and compelled to begin to do something. I didn't feel guilty about charging what I did for the coffee, I just needed to find away to give something back. I began by getting the staff to watch the video and soon I knew I needed to search out a supplier that sold only Fair Trade coffee.

Liz continued to stop by, she would check to see if any of her books sold, smiling when she did, and asking everytime if it was still OK to sell her books in the cafe. She was so grateful for this opportunity she brought me a gift one day, a book called "Uncommon Ground". An intense thorough story about the history of coffee throughout the different regions of the world from the sixteen hundreds to today. Between "Black Coffee" , "Uncommon Ground" and Liz's gentle and caring spirit I could not not get involved with fair trade.

Sadly, and unknown to me till several weeks later, Liz had passed away (2008). Thank you Liz for stopping by!

Within a couple months of meeting Liz I met Emily.

Antigua

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 05:16:00 +0000

It was late at night when we finally arrived at our Hotel in Antigua. The darkness made the streets look narrower than they really were. The barred up windows, the large heavy doors didn't exactly make you feel welcome. We pulled up to our hotel, the streets were empty, we took our bags to this large door that had a peep hole and a knocker on it. Our driver waited as we knocked several times, then we knocked again. It seemed like a long time before someone finally came and welcomed us in. I sighed, we are at the right place and they do have a room for us.
Even though the outside looked like prison, the inside area was warmly decorated open to the clear evening air. It felt safe. Many analogies flowed through my mind as I sat there drinking some water and having a cigarette.
Jeff and I sat there chatting for awhile before heading for bed.

Our Hotel in Anitigua

Is Fair Trade Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 02:29:00 +0000

About six years ago I attended a workshop on Fair Trade Coffee at a national coffee convention in Portland Oregon. About half way through I walked out thinking that this is just another feel good marketing ploy. I confess now that my cynical mind and ignorance didn't allow me to hear the truth about it. I was probably more igrorant than cynical.

However here I am years later selling only fair trade coffee. Not only that, we have now moved to fair trade sugar, chai teas and looking at other products. What happened? There was no Damascus Road experience, just little by little I learned more and more about the history of Coffee. I learned that the exploitation of the Guatemalan people 300 years ago was still going on and not only there but in most coffee growing regions. I learned that the demand not only exploited the people but impacted our enviroment as well. I began to see that each pound of coffee had an origin and was picked by someone, someone who needed to be treated fairly and deserved more. I learned that coffee had a conscience. And for the most part I learned this through people who also cared about this. These people were customers, other coffee business people, film producers, authors and staff.

Yet like doubting Thomas, I needed to accually go and see for myself. I wanted to stand on a farm that produced our coffee. I wanted to talk with the people who picked the coffee beans I was using. I wanted to see how they lived.

A year ago I was suppose to go with the folks at Ethical Bean who are passionate about this and do a fine job of roasting our coffee, but it didn't work out. So Jeff Kuhn, a friend of mine, and I travelled to Guatemala a month ago to see. And now I want to go back.

Over the next few blogs I want to write about some of those people who are a part of this journey and I want to encourage us to "drink responsibly". I don't want people to do this just to feel good, but rather I want people to know that it makes a difference.

Jeff's blog here
Article in our local newspaper here

Try Again

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:04:00 +0000

Wow, three years since I've written here. I think my last trip to Guatemala has inspired me to try again. Just adding another one of those "do things" on my list.

Been 2 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 22:40:00 +0000

Well it's been two weeks since I've returned from NZ. Some of the questions are "too short?", "not long enough?". It really wasn't too short, it's just that I want to travel more. What it did for me was put things in perspective, I've been on vacations before but being by yourself and having no expectations put on you just helps you realize when your back what your life is all about. For me it was obvious that I juggle a lot of things, business, volunteer, family, and friends. Especially when there is sort of a revolving door at the business.

So the trick now is to remember and make sure I take quality time for myself here and now.

Home

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 16:51:00 +0000

Yes, after about 14 hours in the air I arrived turbulently into Vancouver Airport on time. Just as the wind storm was making it's debut.

Had a good sleep the first night and made my rounds to see how the Moose and Chevron were doing. I'm very fortunate to have such a great team of people who do there job so well. They all deserve a round of applause and then some.

Now I'll work on my pictures and video's to produce my little trip to New Zealand.

It was a great trip. I've learnt lots, I rested lots and feel somewhat refreshed in many area's of my life. Next I'll be flying to Winnipeg to see Katrina and Chris. After that I don't know.

I know that I would encourage everyone to take three weeks away and go somewhere to be by yourself. It can be revealing.

Last Day

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 21:38:00 +0000

Feb 3, hard to believe!
Going to spend the next seven hours soaking up the Auckland warmth before heading to the airport. Most of that will be enjoying the busking festival.

Last night I went to see "Munich". It just makes you wonder whats really going on. I think for the most part politicians spend there time trying to convince the people that their decisions are for the good of all.

I was really made to feel small yesterday. You know sometimes you find yourself in a place where you don't fit. Where the things around you give you this kind of helpless feeling and you see yourself for who you really are. Well I was using the elevator (lift) in my hotel to go to my room and was followed by rugby and basketball players. I was either looking at knees or I couldn't see the lift door because of one guy. Off to the seventeenth floor I went.

So with that I say.."Cheers mate!" See you soon!

Good Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 22:46:00 +0000

Ah...a Long Black with cream at Gloria Jean's.
Wrote down some reflections on this trip. The good times and the difficult times.

Spent two hours yesterday in three different book stores looking for a book. I've so enjoyed the last one I'm waiting for a special time to finish it. Maybe tomorrow on the wharf, or on the flight home. So any suggestions please comment.

So last night at ten in the evening they had the fireworks off of the Sky Tower. I thanked them for the send off. Then realized it was the tenth anniversary of the tower. It kinda reminded me of the Seattle space needle at New Years, with probably tenth of the budget. Also if you didn't realize...it was the Chinese New Year. So make sure to wish any Chinese friends a "Happy New Year".

So I must go now to find a cold drink.

Back in Auckland

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:50:00 +0000

It's Feb 1 and I'm in Auckland a day earlier than planned. It almost feels like home.

The last night in New Plymouth I went to see "River Queen". The movie was filmed just south of NP on the Whanganui River which runs through Wanganui. One of the stars is Keith Sutherland and the story is about the Maori people during the first settling of Britian. There was a big premiere showing a couple of days before I drove through Wanganui. A couple of hollywood types were there etc etc. Anyway I also didn't realize that the "Last Samarai" was filmed in and around New Plymouth. I guess Tom Cruise made quite the hit in the town. The area is uncrediable and I can see why a lot of movies are being filmed here.

My plan was to stay in Hamilton which is close to Cambridge where Tash went to Bible School. But there was "no room in the inn" so I made my way to the outskirts of Auckland and grabbed a motel. Driving through the Hamilton area was like driving through the Fraser Valley. Lots of cows and sheep grazing on flat green fields. So I wasn't too dissappointed not being able to stay there. As well I was feeling a little tired. I think I need a holiday when I get back.

I chatted to a nice older retired couple at a rest stop. They were "Baptists". Most people have some connection to Canada but for the most part they travel to Europe and Asian. I was hoping the nice Baptists would share there lunch with me! It looked delicious.

This morning I filled up at a CalTex station. I think I told you they were bought out by Chevron. So every opportunity I explained our partnership. I didn't realize that they were all being changed to "Chevron". So next time the familiar Chevron signs will be everywhere.

So here I am back in Auckland. I fly out on Friday and get back to Vancouver friday evening, four hours earlier than I left.

I think I'll go and get something to eat.

New Plymouth

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 03:31:00 +0000

Just a couple of pics. The bluffs are here in New Plymouth, I took on my walk today. Got roasted!

The church is for Jeff...they didn't have an evening service or I would of went. They might be looking for a pastor.

The others are of Wellington harbor and the "Cuba Mall".

Till next time.

Some Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 03:23:00 +0000

New Plymouth

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 22:45:00 +0000

Yesterday I left Wellington in the fog, and headed for New Plymouth.

The last night I decided to stay out later and take in some live music at the Irish Pub. Ordered a Mac Gold and sat alone watching NZ play the Aussie's in soccer while the band was setting up. About 10pm they started...gulp...ok maybe the second song will be better...gulp gulp...I'll order another beer. They were so bad my second beer tasted awful. After every song..."Well...f*k.... " Enough is enough, so I went outside, sat on a bench, and just watched people. A young lad sat down next to me and we began to chat...when he found out I was from BC he couldn't believe it because he was planning to move there in the next year or so. Any way he invited me to sit with his friends, introduced me to his German girlfriend who had lived in Vancouver for awhile and the others. He asked me if I knew where Chilliwack was. Apparently he was chatting to someone from there. Somehow it slpped that it was my birthday, we all raised our glasses.....cheers!

The drive here was wonderful. Through alot of rolling hills, dairy and sheep farms, occationally you'd see the ocean. Didn't stay in Wanganui, it was too early so I just continued on through Waverly, tried to buy a sandwich there but I had no cash and they wouldn't take Visa and my debit card didn't work..so I left hungry. Hawera then Stratford and got here about 3ish.

New Plymouth is the garden city. Lots of plants, trees, bushes and the banned box hedges that grow at will. Mt. Taranki is the attraction here and non active volcano in the Egmond National Park. So I left the shaky ground of Wellington to the potentially explosive area of the West Coast. When will Mt Taranki blow?

I should go enjoy the nice warm day. Maybe a stroll along the beach walkway.

HOT Day in Wellington

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 06:54:00 +0000

Well the weather was amazing! Today was the day to wander and stroll through as much as Wellington as I could. It started out right by having my morning coffee at "Coco's" which is right next to my hotel. The staff reminded me of all my great staff at the Moose. I could watch them all pull their shots, and they all did it exactly the same. So of course I had to ask them about their training.

I then slowly made my way to the New Zealand National Museum. I particularly am fasinated with all the earthquakes and volcanos. They give you all the latest tremors and today they had a 4.2 at the place I'm going to tomorrow. As I looked back they just about have one everyday somewhere and between 2 and 4.5 on the richter scale. So far I haven't felt nothing. New Zealand may look calm from the outside but there's lot's going on in the inside.

Also the Maori's have a whole floor on their ancestors and them trying to perserve their heritage. Not unlike what we have with the First Nations. There seems to be more of an understanding and willingness to live together here.

From there I strolled along the harbour and watched all the activities there. There is a very nice network of paths, bridges and grass areas tying in the Museum, Civic Center, City Hall, Library and Art Gallaries. Watched a bit of the Chinese New Years celebration and then back to town.

Had a Caesers Salad at "James J. Murphy & Co." An Irish bar. There salads are horrible here. In fact the only good food really was at "The Breakers" in Napier. But then again I haven't really gone out and dined.

Tomorrow I'll hit the road for Wangunai. Don't think I spelled that right. About two hours up the west coast. Then on to New Plymouth and get back to Auckland on Thursday.

Have I had enough? I don't know. Have I done alot of thinking? Yes. I have journaled everyday, both about the trip and about my thoughts. That has been very good and I've enjoyed that. I have seen alot of New Zealand, more than some Kiwi's that I've talked to. That I enjoy very much. I still have five days to go.

I know that I'm coming home to alot work.

Wellington

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Bergmann) — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 02:19:00 +0000

Arrived here in Wellington about 1pm. The sky is perfectly clear and it's very warm. Entering the city had a few challenges with it's narrow streets and many of them one way. The map I studied suddenly didn't make any sense so I found the nearest place to park and got out for some air. I leaned up against the car and lit a cigarette paused and began looking at this map again. The hotel I was looking for was on a street called "The Terrace". After asking some directions I walked toward it going up hill, I saw a small sign indicating stairs to this street, well holy smokes, a stairway to heaven! I turned back and found an old newly renovated hotel nearer to downtown with no climbing involved. Reminds me a little of the "Georgia" in Vancouver.

So here I sit in a room with 100 computers and I had to wait. I walked through the "Cuba" area. It's a coblestone street closed to traffic. There are many shops and cafe's spilling out with umbrella's, tables and chairs and it's full of people going in all directions.

It's always interesting coming into a town or city and trying to get your bearings about everything. Especially when you basically have no clue. At least everyone here speaks a form of english.

Oh by the way, I would highly recommend the book "Kite Runner".