95% of Nicaraguan coffee is shade grown. What this means is farmers grow their coffee under the canopy of native and exotic tress. These trees along with the farmers’ management practices help sustain ecosystem services such as biodiversity, soil and water conservation. Because Nicaragua’s environment suffers high rates of deforestation, soil erosion and water contamination, coffee land has become increasingly important for the production of environmental services.
About Emerald Mountain

In January 2012, a group of 12 store owners and staff visited the Emerald Mountain farm where Roy and Debra Seyforth have made their home and grow this coffee. They saw beautiful mountains covered with coffee trees that are shaded by taller species and were treated to a great mid-day meal. The Seyforths are the same farmers they met in 2009 on a discovery trip to Nicaragua. You may recall that we imported the first crop they produced in 2011 after they began the UTZ certification process.

Roy and Debra are committed to being great stewards of this central Nicaraguan farm and have built modern facilities for their staff and seasonal workers to live in. We are proud to know them and buy their coffee

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