By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Coffee growers were already struggling before the global pandemic. Coffee prices were declining, and that was a threat especially to smaller producers.
Last fall, Grounds for Thought in Bowling Green partnered with Miguel Llanos, owner of like Finca El Carmelo in Teruel, Colombia, to try to addresses these issues by having the Bowling Green shop and roaster directly import beans from the farm.
Now, the pandemic is making the situation worse, said Kelly Wicks, owner with his wife, Laura, of Grounds for Thought.
The problems are existential in nature, and could lead, he said, to the collapse of premium coffee.
Growers could end up deciding not to plant trees this year because they lack the resources, Wicks said. “That could easily happen.”
And then maybe next year they face the same decision. “What we’re facing down the road is no coffee or no good coffee.”
So, Grounds has launched its Growing for Tomorrow initiative. “This is a way to help the long -term viability of specialty coffee for the El Carmelo family farm, its workers, and our customers for future generations.”
Grounds has committed to sponsoring the planting of 6,000 coffee trees at El Carmelo. The planting would occur this coming October.
The purchase of two pounds of El Carmelo beans, which are available as are other varieties for delivery from the Grounds roaster while the shop is closed, will finance the planting of one tree, or donating $15 finances the planting of a dozen trees.
Wicks said the response has already been heartening, with some customers already donating.
All the money raised will go toward planting trees.
Wicks said he sees this as a pilot project that if goes well can expand to neighboring farms.
One of the reason Wicks likes to work with Llanos is he is committed to raising the standard of his coffee, and also he shares that knowledge with other growers. Llanos is dedicated to water and land preservation and using sustainable practices.
He now has 30,000 trees. A coffee tree takes care to get to the point where it starts producing beans.
The hole for each tree must be hand dug.
In the first year, it must be tended monthly, then six times the next year, and four times in the third year, and in the fourth the first beans are harvested. This is strenuous work at El Carmelo because the trees are on a steep hillside. Constant replanting is necessary because the “optimal lifespan” is about a dozen years, when a tree is 7 to 20 years old.
The launch of this initiative comes at a time when so many small businesses are struggling.
Wicks said Grounds is facing the challenge of having been closed for six weeks. Though they could have kept it open for delivery, they decided that the risk posed to workers and customers even with doing take out was not worth it.
Grounds has kept its employees on the payroll. “We count on them when we’re open,” Wicks said, “and they can count on us when we’re not.”
He said he’d love to head down to Colombia for the planting, and bring friends from Bowling Green with him.
“I’d certainly love to be there,” he said. “But I don’t want to get too optimistic.”
