Professional-Cultural Exchange: CFFI Hosts Visitor-Volunteers from the École hôtelière de Montréal

CFFI would like to thank the faculty and students from the Ecole hoteliere de Montreal, who traveled to Grenada last month to participate in a rewarding cultural and professional exchange.

We at CFFI, along with our friends at Jouvay Chocolate, shared our expertise on growing, harvesting, fermenting, and drying cocoa, and on the process of turning cocoa beans into high-quality chocolate. We also offered our guests the opportunity to meet with farmers from across the island and learn about the wide variety of fruits and spices that grow in Grenada.

In exchange, our guests shared their culinary expertise with members of our community, including students at the College of Tourism and Hospitality in St. George, and students at the Adult Skill Centre in Victoria.

Special thanks to our devoted board member and volunteer Dorise ("Doko") Kowalewski for working so hard to make the exchange program a wonderful success!

Developing CFFI's Model Cocoa Farm

Cocoa trees are "understory" rainforest trees.
They require the shade provided by the canopy of taller trees. 

So, after planting some new young cocoa trees and vanilla vines on our model farm, 

we knew we had to add some shade trees.

We bartered with a local farmer for some plantain trees.
Plantain and banana trees are perfect companions for cocoa.

They grow super-fast to just the right height, so they provide shade.
They also lend the cocoa complex flavor notes
as some of their fruit decomposes in the soil around the trees.

This is Trey, who helped up plant our plantains.
Trey is the son of Rita, one of the most
hard-working members of our Women's Crafts Cooperative.
We are grateful to Trey for his beautiful spirit
and all his hard work on the model farm!

seaweed for compost

picking seaweed for the compost

all packed and ready to go

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.