Sumatra or Bust

How is the Organic Fair Trade Premium Spent?

2010-01-22T13:09:00.000-08:00

Watch this video about how the Arinigata Organic coffee farmers in the Gayo region of Sumatra spend their Fair Trade premium

A Walk through a small village in the Gayo region of Sumatra Indonesia

2010-01-22T13:03:00.000-08:00

Padang

2009-08-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

Our last few days in Sumatra were spent in Padang, one of Sumatra's larger coastal cities and West Sumatra's largest city located on the Indian Ocean. The humidity was high and the sweat was running. This town although crowded and hot did not seem as busy and dirty as Medan, Sumatra's 3rd largest city on the Strait of Malacca. We walked the markets with the variety of smells, mostly fish, and colorful vegetables. Everyone around us was friendly and welcoming. They loved to have their photos taken.

Orangutans, Bukit Lawang, Sumatra Indonesia

2009-08-05T13:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks to APKO and Arinagata coops

2009-07-03T07:28:00.000-07:00

I want to thank the farmers of APKO and Arinagata for the time they spent with us, for allowing us to visit with their families and villages. We enjoyed our visit tremendously. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming.
I hope to upload pictures of our visit when I find a good internet connection.

Into the jungle we go

2009-07-03T07:08:00.000-07:00

This might be the last post for a while. We're not sure if there will be internet, hot showers (there has not been a hot shower yet:) or paved roads. Takengon as it is has only one spotty internet place. The pictures won't upload and sometimes the post publishes sometimes not. Mungkin ja, mungkin tedack.
We head to Blangketjereng to visit cocoa farms and hand out school supplies, then to Ketembe for a jungle trek, then Lake Toba to do the tourist thing, then maybe Padang to shop for gifts, (send all your requests now).

We spent two full days interviewing farmers from different coops. We visited the villages, met with the leaders, drank coffee, explored the coffee gardens, drank coffee, ate lunch and shared stories. Everyone was excited to see us and wanted their pictures taken. They were literally dragging us by the arm to see this and that. They had so much fun listening to us attempt to speak Indonesian.
I was reluctant to where a head scarf but was glad I did. all the men and women commented on it and smiled approvingly. I was showing proper respect. Funny, I initially felt this rubbed me the wrong way:) Now I wrap it around me like a special blanket.

I will load pictures as I can. I have lots of pictures of all the coop farmers and their children.

To Save the Orangutan...

2009-07-03T06:36:00.000-07:00

You must help the people to save the Orangutans.
I've been learning about the complexity of the idea of saving the Orangutans. Gunung Leuser National Park is a large section of rain forest in Sumatra that has been preserved with financing of the European Union and prohibition of cutting in the preserve by the Indonesian government. This is a favorable outcome for the future of the rain forest but the people in the region of this park live in extreme poverty with no real means of support, education, and economic development.

The land is extremely rich in natural and mineral resources but these resources are blocked from use. There needs to be a way to transition the people of the region into a more stable sustainable business and lifestyle where their interests are aligned with the preservation of the rain forest and its animals that doesn't result in their living in poverty. If their economic sucess is not a part of the program to save the rain forest the illegal cutting and poaching will continue to occur from desperation.
How can we change this?

The area around Takengon where the people grow coffee is not as poor as the area around the park. Production of Organic Fair Trade coffee does much to help the farmers. Of course this is all relative because the villages where the farmers have their coffee gardens have little to no electricity, sanitation, education...etc. Everyone here is poor compared to what we know in the US.

Bukit Lawang and the Orangutans

2009-07-01T07:27:00.000-07:00

Our next stop was in Bukit Lawang a preserve of the Gunung Leuser National Park (spelling?)
A 3 hour trip from Medan, and a popular weekend holiday place with the locals and tourists, we arrived late at night to crowded hotels and Karaoke parties. Needless to say we ended up in the Eco-Lodge. Okay it wasn't that bad, in fact the mandi, Indonesia bath, a bucket of cold water and a ladle was great, especially after the drive and the heat. We would have periods of spontaneous sweating.
This was the place to see the half wild orangutans. we were lucky, we saw two wild males and one half wild pregnant female. There is nothing that can describe this experience. It was unreal, scary, and magnificent.

This wild male was around 35 years old and hanging around Sandra a young female. He was a little upset when they wouldn't give him more bananas. He decided to come and get them himself. oh no!

Coffee Exporters in Medan

2009-07-01T06:47:00.000-07:00

We were fortunate to meet with 2 coffee exporters in Medan on Saturday June 27th, Mr. Ujang, Fairtrade Organic Coffee Exporter and Mr. Sadarsah of C.V. Arvis Sanada.

We went to each of their individual warehouses, met some of their cooperative members and talked about how the coffee business is going and the impact the Fair trade and Organic coffee markets have in the Gayo region. There is much we learned and much to share, later.

They welcomed us, were extremely friendly and helpful. We made arrangements to visit the coffee cooperatives the following week.

Because we caught them in the slow part of their season there was not much in the way of coffee processing to see. Some sorting of the of the non-premium beans were being sorted by groups of women workers. The smell and taste, we were served many cups of coffee, was a wonderful step into all that is coffee.

A day in Singapore

2009-06-25T17:56:00.000-07:00

We have a day and a half in Singapore before we fly off to Medan, Indonesia. The biggest challenge today is getting used to the heat and humidity. And I was told the weather is mild today. Umbrellas came in handy.

The fruit at the market was incredible, the colors, taste and even the smell.

Durian is in season. All the fruit sellers got a laugh out of our sour faces as we came into the vicinity of the Durian. Smells like something died.

Had to visit Apollo Banana Leaf, famous for its fish head curry. The tastes! Eaten with our hands on a banana leaf with rice and side dishes splashed on the side. Delicious. We all have yellow hands today.

Coffee Roaster Profile

2009-06-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

During our stay in the Bay we had a chance to talk to Rouin Rahmani a local coffee roaster at the Beanery at the Alameda Marketplace. Everyone's story is so different with special moments of inspiration woven into them. This is part of the human side, both sides of the story indemic to the coffee business.

One Day and Counting

2009-06-19T16:53:00.000-07:00

All is in disarray after several weeks of planning and gathering. I'm in a panic yet I'm not. This feeling is the culmination of all the details of our trip coming together. After today there will be no more room for second guessing and accumulation of required gear. thank goodness:)
We are heading into the wonderful land of Sumatra Indonesia for one month of exploration and adventure. We intend to meet up with local coffee farmers and exporters in the Gayo region of Bande Aceh in north Sumatra. We will try to profile the farmers, compare and contrast their life with ours in the US. What do we have in common? What are our differences? What are their challenges? How to their challenges and our lifestyle interconnect? What do they see as their future? How does that relate to our vision of the future?

I welcome any question you might want to ask. We only know of them through their coffee. They know of us through our media. They are the ones that nurture and grow the produce with care that becomes our daily pleasure. Lets get to know each other better.