Author Archives: claudiasquips

The Politics of Coffee

Posted on August 27, 2013 by claudiasquips

When Equal Exchange arranged this trip to Peru I was excited on many levels. I couldn’t wait to see the coffee growing, help with the harvest, taste the product etc. Delving into the political history of coffee growing in Northern … Continue reading →

Posted in Organic Food | Tagged agriculture, cacao, Cepicafe, co-operative, coffee, Equal Exchange, fair trade, farmers, grassroots, hacienda, Northern Peru, panela, political party, politics of coffee, social inclusion, support network | Leave a comment

Picking Coffee in Peru – or how I spent my summer vacation!

Posted on August 7, 2013 by claudiasquips

This July I had the amazing opportunity to visit Coyona, Peru with Equal Exchange to harvest coffee with the Jose Gabriel Condorcanqui Co-op (JGC) and to learn about how Fair Trade works in the most fundamental way. The co-op began … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Ecology | Tagged Cepicafe, co-operatives, co-ops, coffee, coffee cherries, community party, Coyona, Equal Exchange, fair trade, Fiesta de Patrias, Jose Gabriel Condorcanqui Co-op, Ojo de Gallina, Peru, Piura, Roya Amarilla, travel, umbrella organizations, yellow rust | Leave a comment

Pura Vida At Home: How the TV Stayed Off Post Vacation

Posted on May 13, 2013 by claudiasquips

Before basking in the glow of Costa Rican sunshine I must admit that I frequently sat in the glow of our Samsung TV. I can be a serial junkie – when I find my show du jour I will watch … Continue reading →

Posted in Book/TV/Movies | Tagged Amazon, authors, Beautiful Ruins, Bernarr MacFadden, Books, Costa Rica, David Sedaris, Downton Abbey, Emily Giffin, fiction, Glass Castle, Half Asleep Frog Pajamas, Half Broke Horses, Jeannette Walls, Mr. America, Muscular Billionaire, Netflix, non-fiction, prequel, Pura Vida, Ruth Riechl, Something Borrowed, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, Tender to the Bone, the Ultimate Starvation Diet, Top Chef, Turn Right at Macchu Picchu, TV addiction, vacation book, willpower | 1 Comment

Pura Vida! part 1

Posted on April 29, 2013 by claudiasquips

When I signed up for a yoga retreat in Costa Rica last November it was a no-brainer – we were to spend seven days at an eco-lodge that also happened to be a biodynamic farm. The yoga was almost an … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecology, Fruits, Natural Health, Organic Food | Tagged biodynamic, Costa Rica, farm, Finca Luna Nueva, organic, yoga | 3 Comments

Shade Grown Coffee is For The Birds

Posted on January 28, 2013 by claudiasquips

No really, it is. There’s even a certification for it from the Smithsonian. The first sustainable coffee congress was in 1996 and the shade issue emerged out of that meeting as a sustainable alternative to ‘sun-grown’ coffee with two certifications … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecology, Fruits, Native plants, Organic Food | Tagged atmosphere, Baltimore Orioles, broca, canopy, certification program, coffee, coffee market, cofffee borer bug, Conservation, crops, ecology, ecosystem, erosion, Fair for Life, flora fauna, foliage, fun facts, gluten free, indigenous species, kosher, Latin America, medicinal herbs, migratory birds, monoculture, native trees, Non-GMO Project, nutrients, organic certification, orioles, parrots, preservation, shade grown. bird friendly, Smithsonian, South America, specialty coffee, sun coffee, tanagers, thrushes, toucans, USDA certification, warblers, whole grain | 1 Comment

Humble beginnings

Posted on August 12, 2012 by claudiasquips

I know it was idyllic. I know not every blueberry for Cascadian Farm is grown on this farm or in this way, but I was impressed with the original Cascadian Farm and the tasty blueberries I ate straight from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Composting, Fruits, Gardening, Organic Food, Recipes | Tagged angry birds, balloons, black berries, blueberry, blueberry bushes, blueberry whole wheat muffins, Cascadian Mountains, compost pile, farm tour, farmer, Farmer John, floral cane, fungi, home farm tour, hungry pests, kiwi, magenta, organic farm, original farm, Pacific Northwest, pest repellant, primal cane, raspberry, Skagit Valley, strawberry field, The Cascades, Washington | Leave a comment

The Heart of the Matter

Posted on June 8, 2012 by claudiasquips

I wish this was a post about a lovely memory of my father since Father’s Day is upcoming but after I spent a few moments wondering what the heck I was going to get him one thing immediately came to … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Family, Holidays, Organic Food, Vegetables | Tagged cocktails, Doomsday Preppers, edward & sons, Father's Day, gifts, grandfather, Harrisburg PA, hearts of palm, hearts of palm salad, holidays, Mad Men, monkey bars, New Cumberland PA, playground | 1 Comment

Environmental Restoration – of the Internal Kind

Posted on April 8, 2012 by claudiasquips

Our main purpose here at MOM’s is to restore the environment. Typically for me it means outward actions of recycling, reusing, and enlightening others on how they can do that too. So on the flip side, what does environmental restoration … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy Resources, Natural Health, Vegetables | Tagged anise, Ayurveda, balance, bitters, cleansing, coriander, dosha, energy, environment, fennel, fermented foods, ginger, harmony with nature, internal balance, kitchari, purslane, radish, warming foods, wisdom | Leave a comment

Weeds. They’re what’s for dinner.

Posted on March 9, 2012 by claudiasquips

Weeds. Not a single good reference that I can think of. They’re the things most people throw away. They’re things we pay people to obliterate from our yards. In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s words, it is, “A plant whose virtues have … Continue reading →

Posted in Native plants, Vegetables | 7 Comments

You Say You Made a Resolution

Posted on December 23, 2011 by claudiasquips

As we wind down 2011 and look forward to January most of us are contemplating a resolution for the coming year. Whether it’s because we’ve overindulged through the holidays or because we simply want to be healthier, many of our … Continue reading →