Monday, December 30, 2013

Happy New Year from CFFI


A Special Thanks & Best Wishes for 2014 to our Supporters from all of us at CFFI

Dear Friends,
2013 has been a banner year for CFFI, and our accomplishments reflect all three aspects of our mission. With your generous support, we have met and surpassed all of our 2013 goals, including 

helping cocoa farmers get their beans to market more efficiently;
providing hands-on education for farmers so they can maximize the quality of their cocoa beans while preserving the benefits of traditional farming;
providing farmers with an organic alternative to the petroleum-based fertilizers currently being used; and
securing new sources of revenue for CFFI while creating a variety of new job opportunities for Grenadians.


Helping Farmers Get Their Beans to Market
This year we were able to buy a farming truck to assist in the collection of wet beans across the island. The impact of this purchase has been immediate and dramatic. When farmers don’t have to walk their beans to market, they can spend more time cultivating cocoa trees and learning new ways to enhance the quality and value of their product.
Continuing Education and Other Support for Farmers
In 2013 we turned three acres of abandoned farmland into a model teaching farm and spice garden. At the model farm, visitors and local farmers can learn new techniques in sustainable farming, grafting, and propagation. We were able to hire two full-time employees—local young men who are learning the art of cocoa farming from older, experienced farmers, whom we have hired as consultants. The model farm is a wonderful example of how we can boost economic development while promoting sustainable agriculture and biological diversity.
Our “Buy A Tree—Support A Farmer” campaign has also been a great success. With donations to this program, we have provided high-quality saplings, along with organic planting compost, to over forty farmers. By contributing to this campaign, our donors are providing direct assistance to farmers while helping to preserve a rare and delicate environment.

Looking Forward to 2014
We are looking forward to an even more successful year in 2014.


We can’t thank you enough!

Thursday, December 5, 2013


 
CFFI helping farmers deliver their beans to the collecting station
Wednesdays are cocoa collecting days here in Victoria Grenada. Farmers travel for more than 5 or 6 miles to sell their cocoa beans to The Grenada Cocoa Association. And this is where "Fear Not" our trusty van comes in...farmers call us and we meet them to pick up their product. This farmer was lucky enough to find us while he was walking along the road with his daughter. Can you imagine walking 2 miles with all these wet cocoa beans?  Well, that's what they were doing and they sure were happy to see us coming along!

Wet cocoa beans 









Farmer George



Farmer George was not so lucky- he walked from his farm to the collecting station with 10 lbs on his head and 10 lbs in each hand. Next week we will make a point of getting up to his farm.


One of the first trees planted is already bearing cocoa




The "Buy A Cocoa Tree" Campaign is going really well.  Thank you everyone for the support!  We have sold well over 100 trees. People are starting to purchase them as holiday gifts (we are sending out cards with these purchases).
http://www.cffigrenada.org/CFFI_donate.html

Just a reminder...if you are in the Vermont area CFFI will be featuring their crafts at The Cotton Mill Open Studio & Holiday Sale.  Great art, shopping,performances food & fun!
www.thecottonmill.org /802-257-7731
And on Monday The Ruggles & Hunt Bi-annual Fashion Show will be held at The Burdick's Restuarant- it is always a blast!
www.rugglesandhunt.com