Our Local Gift Shop

If you're in Grenada and looking for a special gift,
stop by our beautiful gift shop in Victoria, St. Mark's.

We've got unique paintings by local artists...

Beautiful crafts by the members of our cooperative...

And exquisite Jouvay chocolate.

Happy Holidays!

Rainy Days in Grenada

 On rainy days, the workers from our model organic cocoa farm help out with the crafts.

Here are Kelwin (our farm manager), Kimon, and Ericson.

They're making stars from recycled cans.
Cookies courtesy of Doko.

CFFI Enters A New Partnership with Grenada's Vanilla Expert

Here is Sherwyn, our local vanilla expert. 

He arrived with a team of farmers to help us plant vanilla,
both on our model organic cocoa farm
and along the route of Jouvay Chocolate's free farm and factory tour. 

Vanilla is actually a vine, a distant relative of the orchid. 

Vanilla is not easy to grow.
It has to be hand-pollinated.

 The root end has to be carefully exposed.

But it is a lucrative crop, well-suited to growing conditions in Grenada.
Some cocoa growers may want to add it to their farms.

Our thanks to Sherwyn and his team!

Welcome to the Newest Member of our Women's Crafts Coopertive

Meet Malissia Mitchell, the newest member of CFFI's Crafts Cooperative. Malissia lives with her mother and her two beautiful sons. Her dream is to get her own home for herself and her boys. She's off to a great start at the Crafts Co-op, doing beautiful work and generously sharing her optimistic spirit!

CFFI Helps Raise Money for "Our Place" Food Pantry and Meal Site

As a non-profit organization, CFFI spends a lot of time and effort raising funds for our many programs. So we were thrilled to be able to help another worthy non-profit raise money to fulfill its mission.

Our Place Drop-In Center is a food pantry and meal site that has been serving the community in and around Bellows Falls, VT, for nearly 20 years. At a recent Our Place auction fundraiser, CFFI donated an ecotourism vacation package in Grenada. "Vacation for a Change" is a week-long package that includes room and board, transportation and guided tours around the island, and opportunities to participate in a wide variety of activities, from harvesting cocoa to making authentic local crafts.

We were happy to learn that "Vacation for a Change" raised more money than any other item in the auction!

If you'd like to learn more about Our Place Drop-In Center, you can visit their blog at:
ourplacevt.wordpress.com
or their Facebook page at:
www.facebook.com/Our-Place-Drop-In-Center-108093325921/timeline

All set up in Hanover for Christmas Fair with a Difference

Dorise Kowalewski, our infinitely creative and tireless
board member and volunteer, has arranged these unique
and beautiful crafts made by artisans in Grenada.

Get ahead on your holiday shopping while
supporting the good work of CFFI

.

Our mission is to promote sustainable agriculture,
economic development, and the conservation
of biological diversity in Grenada.

Happy Holidays!

Support CFFI's Women's Crafts Cooperative at the Christmas Market with a Difference

Ch

Come join us at the Christmas Market with a Difference

in Hanover, New Hampshire

Thursday and Friday, November 5^th & 6^th

10 am – 6 pm

Saturday, November 7

10 am – 1 pm

Come see all the beautiful crafts
created by the member's of CFFI's
Women's Crafts Cooperative.

Support CFFI and the
members of the Cooperative.

Thanks to a Special Supporter—Max Felchlin AG

    Max Felchlin Headquarters, Switzerland

CFFI would like to thank Max Felchlin AG, the renowned Swiss chocolate manufacturer, for its continued generous support. In business for over 100 years, Felchlin is a chocolate maker’s chocolate maker, known in the industry for producing the very finest couvertures from the very best cocoa beans.

Felchlin is committed to environmental sustainability and economic fairness, and it demonstrates its commitment in many ways. Felchlin works directly with cocoa farmers and supports them in every stage of the production process. Felchlin was CFFI’s first major donor, and it continues to support us as we provide free training in sustainable agriculture, and a variety of other services, to Grenada’s cocoa community.

For more information about Felchlin, visit  http://www.felchlin.com/en

Putting what we learned at the seminar into practice.

Introductions:

Hii!! I'm Kelwin. After CFFI sponsored my internship in the US to take a course in Agro-Ecology, Small Farm Management, and Marketing, I am back in Grenada and working as the CFFI Farm Manager.

Start of the season at Ryder Farm in New York.

New Compost Style:

Using what we learned at the last seminar, we updated our composting system. We changed the width and height to speed up the process. We also inserted hollow bamboo to allow the heap to breathe.

 New ventilation system in place.

The compost-makers at their best.

Aerial view of the compost.

The adequate height and width of your compost bin. (3x3)
Alway start with the edges of you pile first to maintain a level surface.

With this new style of ventilation our compost bins are
maintaining the proper temperature even on raining days.

Our young lettuce loves the new compost!

Second Successful Seminar: Soil & Composting

Farmers from three parishes in Grenada joined us in the Prosper House to learn the importance of soil management and composting. 

CFFI board member and soil management expert, Tom Beaudry, led the soil component of the seminar. He explained the problem of erosion, how to manage pH levels and the benefits of mulching to keep soil moist.

Tom helped farmers learn how to understand the different components in soil, how to take a soil sample, and how to improve soil in order to produce more on their farms.

Troy Augustine from the Ministry of Agriculture demonstrated how to make and monitor a compost pile, and how to establish a composting system on your own farm. Troy explained how to mix compost ingredients to complement and improve your soil.

Paula introduces Troy and Tom to the seminar group.

Troy Augustine and Tom Beaudry, our expert trainers.

Kimon learning from Tom Beaudry at the soil management seminar

We had a full house at the Prosper House!

Tom Beaudry discusses soil management with a farmer.

A farmer practices using the soil probe to take a soil sample.

Soil samples can tell you what minerals or components your soil
is missing, so you know how to manage it. Proper soil management
keeps plants healthy and happy.

A very educational conversation with Paula Burdick and farmers at the seminar.

Farmers were engaged throughout the seminar.

Farmers enjoyed a lunch break on the farm before
diving into the compost training in the afternoon.

Farmers enjoy their lunch right on the land.

CFFI employees Kelwin, Kimon and Erickson help Troy demonstrate how to make a
compost heap with a mix of local ingredients.

Jennifer, one of 36 prize winners to receive a digital thermometer for
monitoring a compost heap.

The seminar was a huge success, with over 25 farmers attending and engaging in lively discussions and demonstrations throughout the day. The seminar was held on both Tuesday and Wednesday, with a number of cocoa extension officers also attending.

We look forward to hosting more seminars in the future, and are thrilled by the success of the Prosper House as a community space for learning and sharing among farmers!