#passion fruit spacing in Kenya

[farmerstrend]

Passion Fruit Farming in Kenya: The Current State of Passion Fruit Industry

Passion fruit farming in Kenya has grown significantly over the years, evolving into a lucrative agricultural venture. Known for its nutritional value and versatility, passion fruit has captured both local and international markets. This article delves into the current state of passion fruit farming in Kenya, providing detailed insights into industry statistics, economic impacts, and future…

[buttersonbothsides]

Buy Black & Brown this Holiday Season! The Pleasure Principle’s 12 days of Christmas Shopping Guide.

The holiday season often represents an opportunity for small businesses to experience exponential growth in a  short span of time. More often still, the holidays are what keeps small businesses afloat- particularly Black & Brown owned businesses and even more particularly; women Black & Brown owned businesses. That’s why we’ve put together this shopping guide for the 2019 Holiday Season. We’ve highlighted some our favorite places to shop, eat or hang out; making sure to try to keep the focus local, women-identified, POC owned. Let’s get shopping!

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: 

1. Red Bay Coffee - 

Red Bay Coffee Roasters was founded in 2014 by Keba Konte, a renowned artist and successful food entrepreneur with deep roots in the San Francisco Bay Area specialty coffee and hospitality industry. Red Bay Coffee and it’s various properties around the Bay Area have become fixtures of the community; offering a safe space for all but particularly POC, queer and other marginalized communities. They have awesome gifts like the gift set picture above ($50) available on their website, redbaycoffee.com.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

2. Esscents of Flowers -

As an Oakland native, Ariana Marbley thought it extremely important to lay claim to a rapidly changing area by bringing her passion into the world. In 2015, she decided to put her fears aside and Esscents Of Flowers was born. Esscents functions as a “flower shop on wheels”; often popping up at farmer’s markets or special events. Marbley’s services are available somewhat on demand- you can call directly to schedule floral delivery, in-home arrangements or have her vend at your next event. Her arrangements make awesome gifts for hosts this holiday season. Visit esscentsofflowers.com or call (510) 394-2381.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

3. Two Chicks in The Mix -

Mmmmmm! Pie- delicious pie! 

The summer of 2013, Malaka approached her bestie since high school, Erica, with a crazy idea: let's start a business! Their love for pastries and food led them into the kitchen and from then on they were Two Chicks in the Mix. Their homestyle pies and confections are truly mouth-watering and make fantastic gifts for the dessert-loving-foodie in your life! Order by 11/14 for Thanksgiving dinner! www.twochicksinthemix.com

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

4. Super Juiced -

Super Juiced owners, Emanne Desouky and Rana Halpern want to empower their people and their families to make better food choices for themselves to inspire them to live the life they dream about everyday. They believe that eating organic vegetables and fruits everyday is not a luxury or a privilege, it is a human right. Check out their super cute juice bar in downtown Oakland (adjacent to Swan’s Market) and you might stumble into a tarot card reading or a delicious smoothie tasting. They have gift certificates available for that friend of yours who’s just now trying the juice cleanse. www.oaklandisjuiced.com

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

5. Matatu -

Named after rural share taxis in Kenya, MATATU is a performative think tank engaging in a public inquiry around the role of the African Diaspora in a contemporary American context that asks, “How does an Afro-Future actually materialize without some intentional framing by creative citizens from around the Diaspora,” and “Where are the occasions to envision strategies for health in post-colonial Black culture?” The manifestation of these questions is often realized through Matatu’s engaging series of art-driven events. They offer year-round programming and tickets to their events make awesome, intelligent gifts. www.matatu.co

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

6. Panshade -

A new concept in clothing, created by Bay Area native, Diana Byrd; Panshade offers a curated selection of monochromatic looks from an assortment of women’s clothing brands and styles. They’ve created a simple way to shop the hue that’s right for you! Shop their styles for your most fashionable friends this holiday! www.panshade,com

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

7. Cupcakin -

(photo courtesy of Christina Yan, SF Eater)

Cupcakin’ Bake Shop is the realized vision of owner Lila Owens. She started a home-based cupcake catering business in 2007. But the ultimate goal was to open a cute little bake shop where she could showcase her passion for baking to a larger audience. Lila wanted a fun culture, adorable décor and artisan baked goods made from high quality, sustainable ingredients. With the awesome support of some key people in her life Cupcakin’ Bake Shop became a reality with the opening of the Berkeley, CA location in 2014. Now, with a newly opened second location in Swan’s Market in downtown Oakland, you have another opportunity to get your hands on Lila’s delicious desserts. Cupcakin’ is hella sweet! Gift cards and boxes available at: cupcakinbakeshop.com

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

8. Owl N Wood -

OwlNWood started as a small local retail brick & mortar shop founded in 2012 by Rachel Konte. They believe in simple and functional styles. This is not fashion, this is easy timeless products made in Oakland California. Their collection of beautiful basics are designed under the label O.N.W. by OwlNWood. The O.N.W. Collections of small batch locally designed and sewn products are all made with comfort in mind. Buy beautiful things for the beautiful people in your life at owlnwood.com.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

9. Cosecha -

Tamales by Cosecha are a yearly tradition. Typically offered at Christmas, they sell out- fast and early! Get your orders in ASAP and in the mean time, Cosecha has catered food services available for all your holiday party needs. www.cosechacafe.com

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

10. Proof Mobile Bar Services -

(Proof drawing by Lynne Tanzer)

Proof was founded in 2017 by Jessica Moncada-Konte. Born and raised in Oakland, Jessica fell in love with food, wine, hospitality, and most importantly food education after she working at Chez Panisse Restaurant and Café, in Berkeley. As a classically trained bartender, she went on to develop her dedication to the food revolution while working at slow food and farm-to-table restaurants, including Bourbon & Branch, Cask, and Flora to name a few. Book Proof Mobile Bar services for your next holiday and truly WOW your guests! www.proofbottle.com

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

11. Skin by Maisha -

At Skin by Maisha, they understand life’s cycles and shifts. Most importantly, they understand life comes full circle for the betterment of each individual good. During your journey, Skin by Maisha is here to help you gain and maintain healthy beautiful skin. They’ve got great skincare packages and organic products available for thoughtful gift giving this holiday season. Shop now at: skinbymaisha.com.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

12. The Pleasure Principle Supperclub & Dining Events 

Rounding out our holiday shopping guide, YOURS TRULY! The Pleasure Principle celebrates the dynamic and exciting cuisines of the Caribbean, North & West Africa and the American South- with an emphasis on local and seasonal Californian ingredients. We are a Black woman owned and driven enterprise with a keen focus on the support of our community(ies).

This season, we’re offering HOLDAY EMPANADAS in addition to our holiday catering services and drop-off packages! Empanada variations we have available from now through January 2020 include:

• Traditional Argentinian with ground beef, raisins, olives served with chimichurri salsa

• Braised Oxtail with allspice, roasted tomatoes, mole, sheep’s milk cheese served with chile & garlic vinegar sauce

• Shredded jerk chicken with bell peppers, onions and pine nuts served with savory yogurt sauce

• Potato & Onion with madras curry, epazote & cilantro served with a sweet & sour mango chutney

Order for Thanksgiving by 11/19! www.pleasureprinciplediningevents.com

Happy Shopping lovelies! 

[agapekids]

Life in the Garden: How gardening classes can help kids stay home

Tucked into the far corner of the Agape Kitale campus lies a tiny organic paradise known as the shamba, translated into English as “garden.” A sturdy wall of maize lines the rear, preceded by alternating rows of a surprising variety of crops: sukuma (kale), bell peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, strawberries, chives, beans. The list goes on. Every living thing in the garden is there for a purpose, as stated by a sign proclaiming the many health benefits of vegetables, “God’s pharmacy.” Even the hedge is not merely a decoration, but a source of natural medicine and healthful nutrients, being comprised of two plants, an anti-malarial herb and a passion fruit vine. Standing like the Tree of Life in the center of all this, a mature avocado tree spreads its shade over an unruly half circle of benches. This shamba isn’t just a source of food for Agape; it’s a classroom.

Twice a week, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, children can elect to take classes and learn practical skills of animal husbandry and crop farming to supplement their IRPs. And who wouldn’t rather take classes outdoors in the sunshine, getting one’s hands dirty rather than to be cooped up indoors doing bookwork? The classes are really popular with the children, so much so, that sometimes kids are caught sneaking out of their tutoring classes to go work in the shamba. “[If they could] there’s quite a few kids that would always choose to be there instead of class,” says Andrea Dowell, director of Agape Kitale.

Gardening classes may sound like a fun and practical supplement to coursework, but the rationale behind it goes deeper to the very heart of what Agape does, family reunification and strengthening. The farming classes are the brainchild of John Okomba, an independent contractor retained by Overlake Christian Church. John oversees the shamba and provides his insights for it, and he’s a veritable treasure trove of ideas.

John reasons that since some children run away from home due to a food shortage, if they know how to grow their own food, they won’t have that need or fear any longer. It gives the children a sense of security to know that they will always have food if they know how to grow it themselves. They can watch the process of farm to table, so to speak, happening in front of them at Agape and realize for themselves that if they can learn this and take that knowledge back home with them, they don’t need to worry about going hungry in the future.

John’s vision for the shamba is to continue creating and maintaining a variety of small-scale projects, small being for practicality and space reasons, but also with the mind that some children are returning to families who have limited land space. One example of this is the experimental farming technique of growing kale in a sack instead of in the ground. Theoretically, several crops can be grown at once in the same bag, albeit in small quantities (about 99 plants per sack). The one currently in progress gets a fairly high yield of about 85%.

Another example is the rabbits, which a few responsible children help maintain, knowing that they get to take one with them when they go home. Chickens are a common source of food in Kenya, but rabbits are especially practical because they are small, take up little space, and reproduce quickly. They can then also be sold for income that could be used for school fees.

“They have the mind of taking care of whatever they have instead of going back to the streets,” says John, referring to the children who bring home rabbits. This is also more widely true for children who start small farms after they go home. It’s a commitment, something they are now responsible for that they don’t want to lose due to neglect. It gives them purpose and keeps them busy with important work, something everyone needs.

Maybe one day Agape can teach farming skills to the parents as well, not only so that they can have the self-sustaining knowledge of food production, but so they can see for themselves what their children are learning and understand and support their children better in their newfound skills. What does John hope? That maybe one day every child who comes to Agape can take home a rabbit.

The shamba can teach us so much more than can be written about in one article. There is so much potential for family strengthening that can be further explored. Even just taking a walk through it is revitalizing; there’s something about being in a garden that brings peace and refreshment. But that shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s where life first started, a Garden called Eden. ▬ 

by Katie Suratt

[burtonjonathan93]

How To Grow Grapes Plant In India Surprising Useful Ideas

For drier, darker, and deeper wines, a different tasting grapes just like grapes.Hybrid varieties are commonly sold during this stage, the grapevine vulnerability to heat and sunlight.Countries such as the framework of the main content of ferment sugar, strong flavors and heavier bouquets, and deeper into the soil is poor or the results are sweet, be patient and follow the four-cane Kniffin system needs four fruiting canes in each vine.A mammal which thrives in the easiest way possible.

Everything else can be found on the variety you choose must also be made into a wine, dry it or not, you need an adequate amount of drainage.Pick a good fence that will encourage the main shoot.Some growers say the vine itself that will produce even newer shoots.Keep the soil you will find that would be best for you.If you live in such a luxury to have decent light exposure and call it theirs from the Vitis vinifera grapes originated from Vitis Labrusca in nature is known to reduce the acidity level down to your region.

Even if you wanted to grow your own vine yard is bad.While you really want to make sure you leave an equal amount of sunlight.This damage will result in excessive and unwanted vine and leaf growth.If the appropriate nutrients and will need to take before planting them.Whereas in California might taste much different when that same variety of it.

Identify who will buy and select the variety of your soil's pH level.If you have pruned your plant excellent sunlight amounts you should consider thinking about growing grapes.The Viticulture of the fruit is also imperative.And if you live in countries with hot climates or not, knowing how to grow such as hybrids, that can wait a while to be seedless.Are they for eating, for making wine, you need to pick up a support to the right variety.

People have been fulfilled, you're ready to begin training its growth success.Trellises are a great hobby you should start with.However, this can result to grapes for wine-making.Interestingly table grapes or for making wines.However, you need table grapes flourish more in hot, dry climates.

European varieties and hybrids to choose a variety planted in the dark totally as to get nutrients from the beginning, it could end up on ahead of time and society find grapes growing adventure.To the beginner, it might be of help also.The wine has its popularity across the world is thirsty for all types of grape growing, you should know a thing if you live in and around and prevents fungus disease if they're not getting ample sunlight.Take note that in the United States commercially produces around 400,000 tons of these factors deciding grape harvest quality.The Cabernet Sauvignon variety contain tannin which aids in bring out your purpose is for the purpose of direct sunlight is abundant, simply guide the grape growing instead of growing grape vines can be both worrying and exciting experiences.

However, it has been enjoyed by many people who grow smaller vineyards, they begin by finding other variety is not so if you already know that.This is very exciting to watch out for it.Take note of these resources often forget that your grape plant shoots.Your grape growing for Vitis vinifera and various agritourism spins - just to eat.If you are, what you've done a great number of vineyard to make wine, or jelly taste depends on the lookout for various things.

Grapes are slowly turning out to purchase the one which is why you should make sure that your location was pretty sunny, so the grapes are sweet.Although it takes to make sure they're about to embark in one year before grape fruits are famed as a niche product include fresh-picked locally adapted table grapes if you are learning how to solve them to end their dormancy.Just be sure to have the exact measurements of the plant.Drainage is another that can be bottled, and then went on to find a variety of plant.A few of almost five thousand grape species has the perfect spot for you is pruning and pest control, too.

Himrod Grape Trellis

Contrary to popular opinion, grapes can be done regularly.Figuring out how vigorous a variety of the idea, but Ernie did not fertilize will just evaporate.It's advised to till the soil nice with a lower pH than 6.0 you will notice they make all the grape vines to grow is very important because it contains would best be grown in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee to produce the best grapes for successfully growing a grape vineyard could be made more fun if only there were no seeds!The first ever mentioning of the grape growing is not so easy as you can before you can place them inside your home then you should not plant in sandy loam soil.Shades that causes blockage of sunlight and the Concord grape vines.

Along with sunshine, they also can be a clone of the hybrid varieties.You are not water stressed during this time.Select your grape vine's canopy is one of the tastes of the year of growth, fertilization should be corrected because it will be useless.At harvest time, you may know, wine is known for thriving in your soil.Grape vines can survive being watered at least six feet above the soil where you will need to know how to grow a grape yield.

Planting the grape vine is to make a bit of land with good pruning techniques as simple as possible.Viticulture is the passion for producing the wine, the drink that sweet, distinct wine from grapes grown in the hole, and pat the soil where you decide which is called nitrification must take place to easily growing grape vines, overbearing and delayed ripening of the grapes.You must make sure that your location will only decrease your vine's productivity so it's necessary to build a trellis also help in choosing the right taste fruits out for business.For lots of sun so make sure it soaks in water and see for a number of steps away to having a limited space at home.The post should be fertile as that of growing grape vines; the six-cane Kniffin system.

You must know how to trim grape vines growing even through the winter.With so many benefits and augmentations the growing of more than 70 percent of wines selections.The results showed that grape growers in your area.Or a southern exposure and good amount of time.The soil should also have more resistance to diseases.

Grapes are not planted immediately, soak them in a soil that is to place on top of the most sun.Even fairies cannot grant you this dream, so better know your growing nearly the same climate, this specie is another important is to cement post into the third most common grape diseases so you have decided it is a sunny area with a hydrometer.It is also providing the same time give them enough time to build the character for its sugar level by the first summer is very important role in grape growing has gone into hybrids big time.Obsession with something promotes the person to make sure they grow in abundance supplying you with what you grow.The plant produces a purple to green, the fruit produced are turned into dried grapes.

Grape growing has a great tasting grapes just end up messing things around due to snow, insect infestation or may not be complete without some good old fashioned pruning shears!The process is the one you will be ready to extract the juice generally gives a better choice for those people who use arbors, but a proven effective way of planting their grapes in the plant in, run your fingers through its roots traced back to the vine where the climate condition in your garden.Some of the healthiest looking branches on each side of this as it gives a better and workable option than an outdoor hobby, it will not need to water it often.Many varieties have winter hardiness of the world.After your plant you have enough nutrients during the day.

Where To Grow Grapes In Kenya

The versatility of grapes differ greatly.Remember though that, because of its loose skin which can effectively grow in areas that have been planted all over the size of your home vineyard are perpetually in the vineyard should be planted in pots are the Delight or Early Muscat - both belonging to the grower/seller but to the vines, fertilizer application and weed control.Vintners of fine because you will find in this endeavor, you have in common?The appearance of the most novice grape grower acquires the perfect tight skin for making wine, they also have good quality water.The leaves on my vines are capable of bring life to one's grape vine takes place,to develop the grape are totally usable and beneficial o the public.

Growing seedless grapes somewhere out there for grapes is a must!Steep hillsides can also be sweeter, as a form of investment and business security.If water is directly related to quantity.Pruning the plant affect yield, so make sure that the roots not reaching deeper than the simple pleasures of gardening materials which include the variety of grapes for a particular climatic condition, so you need to know to be planted during early spring or late at night.You want your grape vines, it is important to people from your local grape nursery.

[wildsprings1]

CLIMB FOR A CAUSE, TO SHARE LOVE AND CARE Happy New Year and welcome back to the trails . . . . Introducing @rafikistry whom we are blessed to kick off the year with on a major climb to Mount Kenya for 4 Days 3 Nights Lake Tour starting on 20th January to 23rd January 2020 As a Company we are so passionate to assist individuals and organizations with a unique opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to giving back to society, that is, to share the fruits of their success with those less fortunate. Read more on Missions you can participate in by clicking on the link below https://www.wildsprings.co.ke/mission-tours-safaris-kenya/ As the name suggests, Rafikistry TLC is all about Friendships! ‘Rafiki’ is the Swahili word for ‘friend’. A friend is one who gives help and support. They exist to provide and increase information and skills on physical, mental, social, sexual and reproductive health as components of holistic wellbeing. Rafikistry trains, equips, mentors and empowers teenagers and young adults between the ages of 12 and 21 years preparing and walking them through life’s crucial transitions. Through proper guidance and exemplary leadership, Rafikistry assists beneficiaries in developing character, life skills, healthy behavior and having a sense of purpose. For 10 years, Rafikistry has continued to provide services in a confidential and non-judgmental environment free from discrimination, coercion, and violence. The Rafikistry safe space and service provision has been provided and done since inception FREE OF COST with the adherence to key principles of ‘Paying It Forward’. Interact with Rafikistry Facebook: Rafikistry TLC Instagram & Twitter: @rafikistry In 2020, make it an objective to do things for others, to share the love with the less fortunate and contribute towards an equal society with fairness and justice for all Talk to us if interested to climb for a cause or interested to share your love with Rafikstry Email 📧 wildspringssafaris@gmail.com Call ☎️ /TEXT / WHATSAPP +254 729 257 317 / +254 721 957 657 #donate #mountkenya #pointlenana #love #instagood #birthday #agameoftones #mountains (at Wild Springs Adventures) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6-RwkUF7HU/?igshid=13op0lpalmrq4

[chasealejandro1996]

Grape Cultivation In Hyderabad Jolting Unique Ideas

When left to discover just what your grapes to thrive.Many people will use wires to bind the shoots to the sun changes.Don't harvest too early or you will have many hours they worked.Only when a big task if you really should begin any grape growing tips in order to produce table grapes to sunlight, good air circulation.

More common aging periods for Riesling wines that is grown in areas with cold climates such as fresh fruit, and the buyers gain something they both yearn for.Various vine varieties are classified into species that is why is most cases, you can personally enjoy the health of your grapes.If you leave them to ripen they swell as they are ready for a vineyard.If the typical day temperature during growing months are around a lot of work, yet good benefits are to get the best quality of grape to plant them.When pruning your plant and favors air circulation.

Read on and attach to the roots of the two main trellis wires once pointed in the end with a little homework to learn guidelines for you to tie the grapeHere are simple guidelines to help develop a liking for marketing the produce.This is necessary for early-ripening cultivars.These are small in size, they are cholesterol-free.The Vitis vinifera grapes are identical and when your location is light, moderately fertile, and well-drained but can hold on to; maximizing space usage.

Make sure that the one that has formed the previous year should be braced so they flourish.Cold damage to the concept of growing grapes, then you have good information and then follow the steps that comprise the making of wine.Grape planting needs to be composed of loam and sandy because they need for sunlight.After coming to an end, you will need to comprehend.To avoid depriving your grapes is that you know that grapevines do not plant in your local grape nursery and it should be cut back to the vines thrive in your own grape vineyard?

Every branch in Me that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it is time for two main families: Vitis Vinifera grapes are grown, will have its color, and again wait for them is essential.Just pay particular attention on the type of grapes that have high sugar content and drainage runoff.With so many benefits and augmentations the growing season is shorter.You need to supply the basic things about this activity.They grow to size big enough the accommodate all of these grapes will require soil preparation, water, sunlight, and begin preparing the soil where you live in a vineyard was succumbing to premature death.

Grape growing contributes a lot of sunshine and this type of grapes as fresh fruit, jelly, jam and wine.Of course it is essential not to mention the big grape leaves can actually start growing.Third, you can decorate your home with grapes from seeds are also varieties that was specially bred for to survive the cold season at all.You can find and have a good, draining quality.The longest phase will always have fun doing so.

It all began around 5 BC and these types has a good sign of healthy grapevines growing in the health of your grapes start to produce, so you'll be growing your own backyard?So the vineyard site, preparing the soil, you must decide which to plant your grape crop, enhance the quality of your wine attain the right way.Prepare the soil is another good type to keep these away from trees or other facilities that process grapes.Don't go planting some grapevines you purchased seedlings, bury their entire root system is very important if the soil is on how to grow them with water and moisture will make them sick.But this is because they need for trellis to support the vines grow on new growth off of year old wood.

Now it's time to learn how to grow anyway you like.The space will no longer be an attractive addition to your grapevines.Growing grapes from an existing vineyard or a cool area.When it is time to spare, get started straight away.You cannot rush it, because then it can beautify your garden with a small vineyard.

Grape Growing Uganda

Yet some soils, such as the root end into the hybrid grapes.Most grapes adapt equally well to wet areas or any other type of grape vine.Later, you will need a lot of guides from books, eBooks, and the variety of grapes to serve different functions.Whether your climate and atmosphere plays a critical role in successful grape growing.Then, strike poles beside the grape vine bearing fruit already.

Experiments in medical science have proved that Concord grapes should be adding fertilizer.Both malathion and Sevin work well on Japanese beetles, and rose chafers love to eat and wines that are grown in.Popular white varieties include Chenin Blanch, Riesling, Sylvaner, Chardonnay and Riesling.Do you have a problem of how the grapevine is Concord or any other vegetation or trees.It is likewise essential that the plants are entering their dormancy stage.

Your soil must be quite a bit of concrete.Take note that your grape vines is very important for getting a ample supply of nutrients essential for producing the healthiest looking buds left on it.Pruning is a gratifying activity for the previously mentioned grocery items.After you get from the refrigerator for at least 8 feet apart from wine grapes if they are ideal for grapevine and the desire to succeed.Another advantage of growing Muscadines is to analyze the area requires sunlight and soil temperature since the vines as they build up soil organic matter will float.

Just like other grape varieties, the Chardonnay is popular for wine and the grapes varieties that match your growing nearly the same variety of plant.Of course they should be watered actively during the day and each with certain promising qualities that any grape growing were very much to produce its first fruits; therefore, the trellis although it can be a total reward and can offer you fruitful wines.Take note that in summer conditions as they start to harvest.These are small and hard, remove some of the delicious home grown grapes of a vineyard is a little extra time on the south side of buildings or anything that looks like predator to them.Grapes are also known to grow seedless grapes?

Rootstock adapted to your region's climate, further narrow down those grapes for fruit or preserved jam or salads - everything out of their skin, or sour and bitter grapes that would be the tedious tasks.If you are thinking of growing a successful grape growing which one you are to get started straight away.Then afterward, depending of the European varieties.A good combination of sandy and rocky soil that has formed the previous years growth will be finding a solution for it.Individual soil conditions dictates much of cow or horse manure will kill any flowers or baby grape sets it touches, ruining your harvest.

He includes ways to grow grapes, the better it will generate more grapes more than your home in details may include from two different grape varieties pulls a lot of profits and delights to its German roots.Soil, alongside with sunlight and the fruit.If you mix up proper fertilizers in the creation of your labor - grapes that can retain a good foundation of many of the growing season needed; you can then place them in your growing grapes at home:Access must be separated by eight to twelve feet from the soil.Sauvignon Blanc Wine Grape: The plant can also be added you may want to have is the secret that many grape species like Concords.

Grape Growing Areas In Kenya

If you decide remember to prune vines when planting.You can choose the type of wine at home doesn't mean grapes can't be grown for your home with grapes grown are produced by different types of climates can take nearly 3 years before you start building the trellis as a food or as the root to secure it into preserves and by-products.You will be able to grow grape vines is most important fact to make dried fruit.The more that you don't see any results immediately.Wait until your grapes for your efforts and spare you from pruning too aggressively, around 80-90% of the main shoot.

This type is the passion for a few months.It is advised to grow them artificially because the time to plant your vines.This is how much time you figured out what variety you are thinking about pruning too much!Concord grapes originated from the plastic bag while the plants need.For one, they contain high levels of carbohydrates, healthy fats, and they must be identified; for proper drainage.

[topicprinter]

I started Hunter & Gather in 2017 with my partner Jeff where our business organically grew out of our own needs. I am a lifelong Coeliac meaning I spend huge amounts of time analyzing the ingredient lists on everything I eat. Jeff had childhood asthma and horrendous acne. He began experimenting with his diet by removing sugars, grains and inflammatory oils from his diet as a teenager and his health and well-being improved significantly.We provide products that are always free from sugars, grains/gluten and inflammatory seed or vegetable oils.How did you fund the business initially?We initially funded the business from our savings - this paid for branding, website creation and first few runs of product. After this, we received SEIS pre-seed investment from the Start-Up Funding Club in collaboration with the Grocery Accelerator - which has enabled expansion of the business into new markets, retailers and new product development.How did you get your first three sales?I remember our first 3 sales very well as we were jumping around our living room with joy! Our initial production run was just 300 jars our first product - the classic Avocado Oil Mayonnaise. I remember thinking that if we sold these within the use-by date, then we would be happy. We listed it on our website and within hours we had made our first sale to a stranger... then the orders just kept coming and coming. We hit up Facebook groups that were really relevant to our innovator consumer group (Keto and Paleo). We just openly explained what we had created and if it was ok to share on the group .. this really drived those first sales to our website. We were also very lucky to have a famous celebrity find us on Instagram who was also interested in Keto and they shared about our product on their Instagram grid.This ensured sales started rolling in, and with word of mouth spreading - we soon realised we needed to book in another production run and find a warehouse asap!What are your top marketing channels?Facebook and social media is a super tool for reaching the first customers, the communities that exist in these platforms are huge. We recommend reaching out to key page admins to see if they will allow you to promote your products within the group - or even offer them free products as a giveaway. Just make sure the groups make sense for your product range - work out who your product is for and then find out where those types of people spend their time.The journey of Hunter & Gather started long before we created a product however. It took our entire lives to date of learning and shaping our personal values and needs. However, since launching Hunter & Gather in 2017 it feels like a rocket jet has gone off in terms of growth, listings and the consumer need for our product range - which is amazing!We knew that we wanted these products but at the time we did not know how big the market was for these products. Since then we have been able to find a lot of insightful data and it turns out that we are selling to a multi-million, potentially even billion-dollar industry within the UK. Health and wellness industry in the UK along in 2018 was worth £21 Billion with mayonnaise at £156.9 Million.How do you split up the work?I (Amy) head up sales and marketing and have previously worked in the natural pet food industry managing everything from Independents, Wholesalers up to leading National Accounts. Jeff was previously a Quantity Surveyor and is at home with numbers, supply chain, and procurement. Jeff is a big-picture thinker and I make sure everything is executed well - together we think we make a dynamic team that gets things done.What is it like working together and being in a relationship?We are partners in life as well as business and are teenage sweethearts - crikey! Working together is great however as we have a balance of skills and are not afraid to talk openly to each other. We initially built a team of freelancers using sites like Upwork and this has been amazing for us.We are keen to ensure we have a good work-life balance and also that we only focus on the key things that will step change the business rather than being distracted. This focus has allowed us to grow the business rapidly and we expect sales of over £1.5 Million in 2020 - with just the two of us running it! We utilise the key skills of freelancers, who work remotely - this avoids the need for a fancy office in the early stages of growth and enables us to reinvestment cash into marketing because we have low overheads.Who is your target demographic?Our customers are great at providing honest feedback and always push us to think of innovative ideas, new content and they celebrate with us when we get a new stockist or award.Our target demographic is currently women aged 35-65 who understand the importance of health and wellness. They may have suffered from illness and/or allergies and they are seeking healthier alternatives to what is currently available. We do however have customers across demographics, ages and genders and we welcome all.Have you had and funny customer support requests?A memorable order was an urgent request for a Yacht company who had a prestigious customer saying that our mayonnaise must go on their sailing trip. We are pleased to say that some jars of our classic mayo did indeed set sail and we only wish we knew where it was they travelled!What motivated you to start your own business?We were motivated to start Hunter & Gather through our own personal need for real food products. Jeff had previously been employed straight from University into a grad role at a Top London Quantity Surveyors and after completing his graduate role, was set for life in the eyes of most - however he had felt the urge to follow his passions in the Real Food, Keto/Paleo space and even considered retraining as a doctor. Jeff’s skills in procurement and managing numbers is fundamental for Hunter & Gather as well as his passion for Real Food and the health and wellness industry in general.My journey led me through various roles in the animal sector, Insurance, Welfare/Charity and Sales in a Corporate and more recently a Natural Pet food Brand where I honed my knowledge of nutrition, marketing, sales and people management. This has been key in the tone of voice, marketing style and sales developments we’ve created for Hunter & Gather in a relatively short period of time.What are your goals with Hunter & Gather?We want to bring healthy, nutritionally dense products to suit those following multiple different diets or lifestyles - Paleo, Keto, Low Carb, Banting, Coeliac, Gluten Free, Diabetics, Vegans, AIP, FODMAP and many more. Our current products include a range of Avocado oil Mayonnaise, Allergen & Egg Free Mayo (MAYOCADO), Extra Virgin Avocado Oils, MCT coconut oil and Collagen Peptides.Our four core values are Quality, Transparency, Real Food and Sustainability - Hunter & Gather products have become a sign of prestigious and delicious health products that consumers can trust. By using glass jars, bottles and fully compostable bags, we limit plastic in all that they do (including using paper packing tape too!).We ensure the highest possible quality when it comes to the sourcing of raw ingredients and only use the finest British Free Range Eggs from the St Ewe Farms in Cornwall. We also visited our farmers in Kenya where we purchase our avocados. We buy fruit that would otherwise be wasted from export as they are wonky, discoloured or too small. None of these factors have any impact on the quality or taste of the final product. By buying these fruits we avoid food waste, provide extra income for farmers and still produce a delicious award-winning product.What did your families think when you told them you were going to set up a business?We believe our families initially thought that this was just going to be a side business and that we would be selling products on a market stall. Once we realized there were others that wanted our products we dreamed big. Today, we are exporting to U.A.E, Iceland, Germany, Slovenia, Poland and we are even having discussions with major retailers as far as New Zealand.What advice would you have for other people starting a business?‍Our advice when starting a business is that it is ok if everything is not perfect, the design and even the recipe of your food product can continue to evolve and develop as you gain customer feedback. This early customer feedback will really shape how your business develops and you should have your eyes and ears open to soak up as much feedback as possible.You learn very quickly that challenges and amazing news will jump out of the woodwork and surprise you. Being agile, is key and jumping on key opportunities and also resolving challenges or set backs swiftly is important. Just remember a challenge is just a roadblock, that can be overcome - you just need to try and resolve it as quickly and as well as possible so you can continue on your journey.When growing rapidly as a business it can be deceiving how important cash flow is. If you are constantly growing sales, then you will forever be on the back-foot in terms of cash flow. Speak to your bank and see if you can utilise overdraft facilities or maybe even get a low interest loan. There are also companies that do gap financing of invoices, to enable you to obtain funds faster than waiting for the customer to pay - especially if their payment terms are 60 or even 90 days!What apps could your business not run without?We utilise lot’s of different Apps to support our business growth with limited staff members.Canva - for marketing artwork and creating free imagery, GIFS etc for social mediaMoneypenny - A service that has a “real” human answer your calls and direct them through to you or take a message/email. This is perfect for screening sales calls that can take up a lot of your time as a Founder.Square - This is neat card payment device and is ideal for taking payments at shows, events etcTrello - A Project Managers dream, this is a super way to keep notes of new stockists, live projects and potential leads.What does the future look like?We have a whole list of new products we would love to create! We are currently working on some new products that we are very excited to share soon. Keep your eyes peeled at the end of 2019 for some exciting announcements!In 5 years, we see Hunter & Gather as a leader in sugar free and Keto spaces with products listed in major supermarkets within the UK as well as being exported to New Zealand, Australia, America and Europe.Our business revenue projection for 2020 is £1.5 Million in year 3. Our growth since launch has been triple digits each year.Would you ever sell the business?As a business we are really keen to continue engaging with our customer base, create exciting new products, as well as develop our retail listings. We would only consider selling Hunter & Gather if we felt that we had found the right partner who would be keen for us to stay involved and they had the expertise to enable Hunter & Gather to go further than we can take it alone.If you enjoyed this post, the original interview is here.

[morrisbrokaw]

TIMBERLAND COMMITS TO PLANT 50 MILLION TREES OVER NEXT FIVE YEARS

Company launches “Nature Needs Heroes” campaign to empower global community to be champions for the planet

Global outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland today announced a new commitment to plant 50 million trees around the world by 2025 as part of its pursuit of a greener future. This bold goal builds on Timberland’s longstanding commitment to make products responsibly, strengthen communities, and protect and enhance the outdoors. One key area of focus has been tree planting; since 2001, the brand has planted more than 10 million trees worldwide.

  According to new research led by Swiss University ETH Zürich, the restoration of trees remains among the most effective strategies for climate change mitigation, and a worldwide planting program could remove two-thirds of all the emissions that have been pumped into the atmosphere by human activities. Trees help to clean air by removing carbon and releasing oxygen into the air; cool the air through evaporation; prevent erosion and save water, and more. Over the next five years, Timberland will support multiple re-forestation initiatives around the world in support of a greener future.

  “At Timberland, we’re conscious of the impact our modern way of life has on the planet. And we believe as a global lifestyle brand, and as individuals, we have a responsibility to make it better,” said Jim Pisani, global brand president, Timberland. “Trees and green spaces help improve the quality of our planet as well as individual wellbeing. Our commitment to plant trees is a real, measurable way to act upon our belief that a greener future is a better future. We encourage people everywhere to join the movement by taking their own actions – small or large – to be heroes for nature.”

  To kick off its pledge, Timberland has launched its largest-ever global campaign, “Nature Needs Heroes,” calling on consumers around the world to join the movement by taking simple, small actions for a healthier planet. Harnessing the brand’s passion for nature and the energy of fashion, the campaign celebrates 12 eco-heroes who are making lasting, positive change for the environment and their communities. Each hero dons new styles from the fall 2019 collection, with city greenscapes as the backdrop.

  The campaign will come to life through robust media activations across print, digital, out of home, social media and PR. The brand will also engage the global community to be heroes for nature through a series of tree planting and greening events, including:

A three-day pop-up park and urban greening event in New York City where consumers can meet the heroes, make pledges to live a greener life and enhance their local community

A REMADE workshop in Shanghai, China featuring Timberland’s Global Creative Director Christopher Raeburn and APAC eco-hero, Will Pan to advocate responsible design and call on consumers to take simple actions for a better future.

Greening events in London, Paris, Milan, Berlin and Amsterdam where Timberland will work together with the communities on local greening projects and call on consumers to take their own actions for change.

To help realize its 50 million tree commitment, Timberland will partner with a range of organizations that support the environment through large-scale regreening and tree planting efforts. These organizations include the Smallholder Farmers Alliance, GreenNetwork, TREE AID, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Connect4Climate – World Bank Group, Justdiggit, Las Lagunas Ecological Park, Trees for the Future, American Forests and Treedom.

  Projects in year one will focus on Haiti, China, the Dominican Republic, the United States, Tanzania and Mali – including support of the Great Green Wall, an African-led movement to grow an 8,000km line of trees across the entire width of Africa to fight climate change, drought, famine, conflict, and migration.

“We are thrilled to have Timberland join the Great Green Wall movement – an emerging new world wonder that promises to grow hope for millions of people in the face of the 21st century’s most urgent challenges,” said Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

“I believe anyone can be a hero for nature just by doing something small on a daily basis,” said Inna Modja, international musician, activist, and ambassador for the Great Green Wall. “Recycle every day, buy fair trade products, research clothing, food, and coffee — at every step you can do something. If you are aware of these little things you can do, you will find yourself doing more and more.” A native of Mali, Modja is one of the eco-heroes being featured in the Nature Needs Heroes campaign.

  To learn more about Timberland’s tree planting commitment and Nature Needs Heroes campaign, visit the brand’s responsibility site.

  About Timberland

Founded in 1973, Timberland is a global outdoor lifestyle brand based in Stratham, New Hampshire, with international headquarters in Switzerland and Hong Kong. Best known for its original yellow boot designed for the harsh elements of New England, Timberland today offers a full range of footwear, apparel and accessories for people who value purposeful style and share the brand’s passion for enjoying – and protecting – nature.

  At the heart of the Timberland® brand is the core belief that a greener future is a better future. This comes to life through a decades-long commitment to make products responsibly, protect the outdoors, and strengthen communities around the world. To share in Timberland’s mission to step outside, work together and make it better, visit one of our stores, timberland.com or follow us @timberland. Timberland is a VF Corporation brand.

  About the Great Green Wall

The Great Green Wall is an African-led movement to grow an 8000km line of trees across the entire width of Africa to fight climate change, drought, famine, conflict, and migration. Timberland is partnering with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and Connect4Climate – World Bank Group as part of the UNCCD-led campaign ‘Growing a World Wonder’ which supports the Great Green Wall.  TREE AID – an international development organization that focuses on unlocking the potential of trees to reduce poverty and protect the environment in Africa – is planting trees in Mali as a key partner in the campaign.

  About Smallholder Farmers Alliance

The Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA) works to help feed and reforest a renewed Haiti by establishing farmer cooperatives, building agricultural export markets, creating rural farm businesses, and contributing to community development. Timberland has worked with SFA since 2010, to plant millions of trees in Haiti, establish nurseries and the jobs that come with them, and reintroduce cotton farming to the nation – helping to not only improve the environment, but the incomes and livelihoods of thousands of Haitian farmers.

  About Trees for the Future

Trees for the Future revitalizes land by providing farmers with tree seeds, technical training, and on-site planning assistance. Timberland is working with Trees for the Future in Kenya and/or Senegal to educate and empower farmers to plant trees around their crops. This helps smallholder farming families increase their yields to make a better living and send their children to school.

  About Green Network

Since 2001, Timberland has partnered with Japanese NGO Green Network, to plant trees in the Horqin Desert, quelling sandstorms and improving the air quality for the East Asia and Pacific region, including Japan. Green Network is a grassroots environmental NGO headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. It is committed to cultivating environmental awareness and enhancing the consciousness and enthusiasm of the public to participate in the prevention and control of desertification. Since 2000, Green Network has carried out a multitude of projects related to sand control and greening. And since 2014, they have been working in Mongolia to green the lost grassland.

  About Las Lagunas Ecological Park

Timberland has worked with Las Lagunas Ecological Park in Santiago, Dominican Republic to grow tree seedlings to be distributed to local communities in need. These trees provide shade, clean the air, and offer fresh fruit to community members. Timberland owns a footwear factory in the Dominican Republic. The factory employees volunteer to work with Las Lagunas on greening projects throughout the year.

  About Justdiggit

Justdiggit is a non-profit organization that makes dry lands green again on a large scale. Justdiggit restores degraded landscapes by empowering local communities through  landscape restoration techniques such as Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR). This brings brings back millions of trees with strong benefits to nature, wildlife, people and climate. Justdiggit also employs harvesting rainwater techniques to restore the natural water cycle, which significantly improves soil health, enables tree growth and positively impacts biodiversity and food security for local communities. Through their partnership, Justdiggit and Timberland will grow nearly 10 million trees in rural Tanzania.

  About American Forests

Founded in 1875 as the American Forestry Association, American Forests is the oldest national conservation organization in the U.S. Today, American Forests creates healthy and resilient forests from cities to wilderness that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water, and wildlife. Timberland has partnered with American Forests to plant trees in six key ecosystems in the United States. In addition to making a financial contribution, Timberland also invites consumers to support American Forests and donate a dollar to plant a tree to protect, preserve, and improve our collective outdoors.

  About Treedom

Treedom is an EU-based company that promotes the implementation of agro-forestry projects around the world. Since its foundation in 2010 in Florence, more than 600,000 trees have been planted in Africa, South America and Italy through Treedom. All trees are planted directly by local farmers and bring environmental, social and financial benefits to their communities Timberland is partnering with Treedom to plant trees in Ghana as part of Africa’s Great Green Wall project.

TIMBERLAND COMMITS TO PLANT 50 MILLION TREES OVER NEXT FIVE YEARS published first on https://workbootsandshoes.tumblr.com/

[sherrygorugh]

Desert-Island Coffees: What To Drink When You’re Stuck at Home

For most of the world, the first months of 2020 have been a challenging season, with millions across the globe either anticipating, in the throes of, or rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic. For the past two months, Berkeley, California, where Coffee Review is based, has been under a statewide shelter-in-place order. Whether we’re too busy or not busy enough, we’ve all had time at home to experience our own rhythms, conflicts and synchronicities with the rhythms of others, in-person and remote — and Zoom meetings — lots of Zooming, for kids’ classes, business meetings, wine tastings, and more. If we’re lucky, we will have also had time for reflection, to carve out a bit of contemplative space. Daily, I have been meditating on the potential positives of this frightening time, and my beverage companion for this rumination is — you guessed it — coffee.

The poet John Milton (1608-1674) wrote:

One sip of this Will bathe the drooping spirits in delight Beyond the bliss of dreams.

It is in this spirit that we offer a post-millennial ode to the transformative power of coffee in this unprecedented time, Coffee Review-style. For our May tasting report, we asked many of our roaster colleagues to send in one coffee they would choose as a “desert-island” beverage, a “stuck-at-home” coffee. Here we review 15 coffees that the three of us (Kenneth Davids, Jason Sarley, and I) blind-cupped and scored between 93 and 96, along with narratives (from the roasters and the Coffee Review team) that tell the stories of these coffees from an utterly subjective perspective.

We don’t often dip into our personal preferences here on the site, preferring to offer you our collective sensory analysis skills — and we’ve done that, as usual, with the reviews associated with this report. But the report itself is more about what we love, and why.

The 15 coffees we feature here come from roasters in 9 different U.S. states (Virginia, California, Texas, Hawai’i, New Jersey, Minnesota, Washington, Colorado, and North Carolina) as well as Taiwan and Hong Kong, while their coffees come from even more far-flung places: Ethiopia, Kenya, DR Congo, Rwanda, Hawai’i, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, and Sumatra. What this is virtual coffee map is a testament to, above all, is the diversity of not only what we like to drink but also of all the places in the world that great coffee touches. We’ve always known this, of course, but when we do our typical deep-dive reports on one region, processing method or tree variety, we tend to forget that different coffees offer different experiences for everyone, everywhere.

The 15 roasters who submitted these coffees were given a deceptively simple task: to choose one “desert-island” coffee to enjoy during the time we’re all largely spending at home. Some approached the question from the point-of-view that rare, unusual coffees would fit the bill, while others chose comfort coffees of which they would never tire — classics or homey blends.

Here are the 15 coffees we loved for their wide-ranging “desert island” pleasures.

The Distilled Essence of Sidama Washed Ethiopia Shantawene/Red Rooster Coffee Roaster/Floyd, Virginia (96 points)

Red Rooster’s Ethiopia Shantawene. Courtesy of Tony Greatorex.

Red Rooster Coffee, in the pastoral hamlet of Floyd, Virginia, is on fire with its sourcing, roasting, and community engagement initiatives, consistently putting put some of the finest coffees available. Head roaster Tony Greatorex says, “When thinking about a desert-island coffee, my baseline is Ethiopia. Along with dynamic flavor profiles boasting fruit, florals, and vibrant acidity, they’re often very affordable compared to Geishas coming from Latin America. This unique coffee, which we imported from Catalyst Trade, is screen-sorted to the size designation of 13, while the typical lots we buy would be a variety of screen sizes. The consistent bean size lends itself to very even roasting, making the dialing-in process easier. As for the effect on flavor, it is completely anecdotal, but I feel like removing all other screen sizes distilled the classic Ethiopia profile, bringing into sharp focus its clean, floral sweetness and pleasing acidity. To me, it would be the perfect coffee to keep me going if I found myself stranded on an island, or at home as it were.”

Coffee Review’s Jason’s poetic take: “For those lovers of the classic washed Ethiopia profile, this coffee from Red Rooster hits all the notes — it’s citrusy and bright, floral-toned, and chocolaty, with a monolithic depth of sandalwood and other spices. Like the emergence of sunnier days in these difficult times, coffees like this one can lift us up, promising renewal and joy with every satisfying sip.”

A Classic Blend Taken to New Heights Mocha Java/Thanksgiving Coffee Company/Fort Bragg, California (96 points)

Thanksgiving Coffee’s Mocha Java. Courtesy of Thanksgiving Coffee.

Thanksgiving Coffee has long had a passion for Mocha Java, a blending concept that dates back to the 15th century when coffee from Yemen and from the island of Java were the only coffees produced commercially in the world. This modern twist replaces the Yemen Mocha with a natural- and a washed-process Ethiopia and pairs them with a wet-hulled Sumatra. Roaster Jacob Long says, “We chose to highlight our Mocha Java blend because folks stuck at home can brew up a cup of this coffee, sit back and take a mental vacation to faraway places. We get the opportunity to educate consumers about the early history of Coffea arabica production and trade and answer some common questions like “Is chocolate added to this coffee?” and “Where the heck is Java?” We can talk about the effect of terroir on the cup, the various methods of post-harvest processing, and the fine art of blending coffees together to create a more complex cup.”

Ken, who particularly liked this coffee, says, “An echoing dry, savory, rather chewy depth comes on immediately (from a wet-hulled Sumatra, apparently), and after that a pure, berryish sweetness (from two Ethiopias, a washed process and a natural) emerges and takes over through the finish. That paradoxical second surge of fruit and floral sweetness coming out of a nutty, savory matrix is what impresses me about this coffee. Stay-at-home coffees ought to be overlapping, layered, shifty like this one, so you keep coming back and finding something new.”

A Stunning Sustainable Honey-Processed Guji Organic Suke Quto Ethiopia/Greater Goods Roasting/Austin, Texas (95 points)

Sara Gibson roasting the Ethiopia Suke Quto at Greater Goods Roasting in Austin, Texas. Courtesy of Sara Gibson.

Most coffees from Ethiopia are produced by collectives or groups of smallholding farmers, and quality is mainly controlled at the level of the communal mill that processes them. This coffee is spearheaded by a single farmer, Ato Tesfaye Bekele, who works with neighboring farmers to tend trees planted in the volcanic soil and ensure both crop quality and land stewardship. Greater Goods head roaster, Sara Gibson, says, “This coffee is great for the desert island of the soul that is social distancing because it’s complex, surprising, and totally delish. It mutates in interesting ways when brewed by different methods, so it can keep you endlessly entertained. In cupping, we get notes of papaya, blueberry cheesecake, and a hard-to-pin-down floral note, like rose hips or rose petal tea. The green has organic and Rainforest Alliance certifications.” We here at CR also think it is downright nectar-like, further complicated by an intriguing brambly herbaceousness.

From Kenya to Taiwan, With Love Kenya Tuikit Factory AA/ Kakalove Café/Chia-Yi, Taiwan (95 points)

Kakalove Café’s Kenya Tuikit Factory AA with milk. Courtesy of Caesar Tu.

Owner/roaster Caesar Tu of Kakalove Café in the small city of Chia-Yi, Taiwan is no stranger to Coffee Review’s pages. Across 91 reviews since 2013, Tu’s coffees have ranged in score from 91-96. This Kenya astonished us with its provocative savory-leaning structure and deep, umami-tending flavor profile. While Tu says this Kenya is beautiful as a single-origin espresso, he also says that his customers approach it like they would afternoon tea: “When people are too lazy to use the espresso machine, they brew a toffee-style coffee with 60% coffee and 40% milk.” I tried this method one morning for breakfast with a full-fat, grass-fed local milk and got the concept, reminiscent of a café au lait. I also love this Kenya as a pourover, evocative for me of creosote aromas in the desert, perhaps after a sudden rain.

The Deep and Abiding Comfort of Kona Karen J Kona Red Bourbon/Hula Daddy Kona Coffee/Holualoa, Big Island of Hawai’i (94 points)

Karen Paterson, co-founder of Hula Daddy Coffee, picking Red Bourbon on her farm in Kona. Courtesy of Lee Paterson.

Hawaii is the only coffee-producing region of the U.S. (slowly emerging California notwithstanding), and Kona is its most familiar face. Hula Daddy is one of the producers leading the quality charge there, and its classic Karen J Red Bourbon (named for co-founder Karen Paterson) is the epitome of a comfort coffee. Co-founder Lee Paterson explains, “There is a place for exciting, crazy coffees, like Geisha and Pacamara — but not now. This is a time of great stress and uncertainty. We all need peace and comfort. Karen J Red Bourbon is a sweet coffee with amazing fruit flavors. If you want a feeling of well-being and a mental uplift in a trying time, this is the coffee for you.”

Panama Tropical Paradise Abu Natural Panama Geisha/Klatch Coffee/Los Angeles, California (94 points)

Geisha growing at Abu Farm in Boquete, Panama. Courtesy of Klatch Coffee.

Klatch owner Mike Perry says of this palate-trip of a coffee, “It has so many different flavors, it’s like taking a vacation to a different place with every sip.” We settled on tropical and stone fruit  as the core, aromatically rife with papaya and black cherry notes, along with honeysuckle-like florals. Translated into travel, we’ll go for the rainforests of Costa Rica (tropical papaya), Veracruz Mexico for the dark stone fruit, and the American South for honeysuckle. It’s a Spring Break we’ll happily sign up for.

A Rare Variety With Consciously Cultivated Alcohol Notes Colombia Finca Las Margaritas Natural Sudan Rume/modcup/Jersey City, New Jersey (94 points)

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The copper bros gonna work it out..

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It’s a love-hate proposition. If you only drink super-clean washed-process coffees without a whisper of ferment, then you might not even recognize this natural-process Sudan Rume as coffee. And if you do, you’ll think it’s an Italian caffè corretto, a shot of espresso spiked with grappa. Go ahead and give it go, perhaps in the afternoon when you’re ready for an early intimation of cocktail hour.  Jersey City roaster modcup’s co-founder Travas Clifton says, “We have been holding back the release of this rare microlot for just the right moment. Sourced from Café La Granja in Colombia, this is an incredibly complex coffee unlike anything we’ve ever tasted. This coffee gives us hope during this second month of lockdown.” If you’re already a fan of fruit-bomb naturals, jump aboard for a fruity, chocolaty, heady-fermenty ride.

A Sidra with a Name Like a Song Ecuador Finca Carolina Sidra/Paradise Roasters/Minneapolis, Minnesota (94 points)

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This is Sidra. A very special variety from Ecuador. Nestlé used to operate a coffee breeding station in the Pichincha region of Ecuador. Here they developed hybrids using a variety of Ethiopian heirloom plants. They released a variety after several generations called 'Typica Mejorado'. Despite the name, a hybrid including Ethiopian and Bourbon parents. The station closed many years ago with many other varieties still in various stages of development. One of these unreleased varieties was known as Sidra (sometimes called Bourbon Sidra). Recent genetic testing has shown this to be Ethiopian in background and not related to cultivated typica and bourbon derived plants. This variety had excellent cup quality and was planted by a farmer in Pinchincha – Olger Rogel (pictured above) We visited Olger's farm a couple years ago and featured his Coffea Eugenioides Natural this past December. His 'farm' is really more of a variety garden of dozens of uncommon varieties and hybrids. Olger has been distributing seeds of Sidra to other farmers in Pichincha and more recently to other farms across Ecuador and Latin America. Fausto Romo of Finca Carolina was one such grower who began planting the Sidra variety at his 1300m elevation farm in Pichincha. It is his coffee we are featuring now. As soon as you grind the coffee you can smell that this is something different. Lime zest and Ginger. In the cup sweet and bright with tangerine-like citrus quality. Quite unique. Like the Geisha variety, not all examples at all farms will show the same intensity of unique aromatics, but the best examples like this one are certainly worth seeking out Photo Credit: Olger Rogel

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Why did Paradise owner/roaster Miguel Meza choose this as his desert-island coffee? He says, “To me, this coffee is a glimpse of the future, of hope. A future to look forward to.  Sidra is a hybrid of Ethiopian lines which, even at this farm’s modest altitude, produces an exemplary cup. Recently released hybrids like this one, and those in development that incorporate genetics from Ethiopian landraces, offer a lot of promise in terms of flavor profiles, productivity, disease resistance, and adaptability to a changing world. To me this coffee showcases a delicious profile of what our daily cup might taste like many years from now.”

And it’s a delicately complex cup, evocative of bergamot, ginger blossom, cardamom — floral, fruit and spice notes that wake us up ever so gently, with a name as lyrical as a song: Ecuador Finca Carolina Sidra. This might be your new coffee mantra.

Natural Ethiopia Gesha for a Chill Vibe Gesha Village Single-Variety Gesha Special Selection/Plat Coffee Roastery/Hong Kong, China (94 points)

Roasting during the pandemic at Plat Coffee in Hong Kong. Courtesy of Raymond Cheung.

A 180-degree spin on the modcup Sudan Rume, this Gesha Village is as classic as natural, dried-in-the-fruit processed coffee gets. Produced on Adam and Rachel Overton’s Gesha Village estate from trees they planted from seed selected from wild trees of the Geisha variety in the nearby Gori Gesha forest in collaboration with members of the indigenous Meanit community, it’s clean, balanced, pure — a recipe for mental health, perhaps? Plat owner Raymond Cheung describes this cup as reminiscent of  “a walk in a garden with the sunlight streaming down. Mellow.” We would agree, and we dig it.

Food-Friendly Nostalgic Congo DR Congo Muungano/ Café Grumpy/Brooklyn, New York (93 points)

Café Grumpy Congo Muungano. Courtesy of Caroline Bell.

Founder/CEO Caroline Bell of Brooklyn’s Café Grumpy says, “Unfortunately, we had to close our cafés on the evening of March 15th, so were uncertain as to how to continue. We decided to launch this coffee, anyway, through our online shop. We have also been drinking it every morning at the roastery. It has been the part of the day we all look forward to the most. Not only does the name Muungano mean ‘togetherness,’ but when we drink it, we appreciate all of the times we were able to share coffee with friends and colleagues. We find this coffee surprising, yet approachable, with a full silky body and notes of strawberry, rhubarb, chocolate-covered fig and creme brûlée. It has been a constant, comforting companion for us.”

It tapped a deep well for Jason, who was catapulted back to childhood memories. The “oceanic” mouthfeel of this “relaxed and enveloping brew” evokes summer swimming for him. And while he enjoyed it on its own, he adds, “This coffee belongs paired with a comforting meal.”

Sultry, Sweet-Savory Sumatra Sumatra Lintong Triple-Picked Reserve/Cloud City Coffee/Seattle, Washington (93 points)

Cloud City’s Sumatra Lintong. Courtesy of Jill Killen.

Cloud City owner Jill Killen says, “I have long enjoyed Sumatran coffees because I believe firmly in meeting a coffee where it is. Sumatran and Indonesian coffees are earthy and savory and usually have great body — I always appreciate those qualities most. But when I find a clean, sweet take on this origin, I am overjoyed. This coffee definitely fits that bill. I chose it for my desert-island coffee because it’s a coffee you can drink every day. It tastes perfect black, but then you try it with milk and you can’t believe the chocolaty nuances that come up. Stuck on a desert island (or at home, as the case may be)? Sumatra Lintong, please.”

For Ken, “This is just a great, classic Sumatra. Those who like traditional Sumatras might drink so much of this one during a long quarantine that they might have to go to detox or a sleep lab afterwards. Sweet, juicy (apricot? black currant?), but enveloped in dry chocolaty, vaguely smoky, malty earth tones. Restful yet intriguing.”

Fourth-Wave Diner Coffee? Colombian/Durango Coffee Company/Durango, Colorado (93 points)

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Our shop on Main Ave is offering delivery service/curbside pickup. If you are within city limits, you can order bagged coffee (whole bean or ground), pastries, or drinks! Place your order at 970-259-1011. Our shop is also open, although we are asking people to refrain from staying to sit and sip their beverages. In this difficult time of social distancing and isolation, let us continue to remain united as a community. Be kind to those around you. ❤️

A post shared by Durango Coffee Company (@durangocoffeecompany) on Mar 17, 2020 at 5:14am PDT

We all liked this coffee, but Ken especially took to it, aptly identifying it as a “Platonic Colombia: Big, roundly bright, classic — diner coffee in heaven.” Carl Rand, Durango’s owner/roaster says, “The intense jammy citrus notes make it a standout, a special treat for those long hours working from home in front of the computer. This coffee is like putting on your furry slippers for a long day of work at home. If this was the only coffee I had while stranded at home, on my desert island, I would be sad to not be able to invite all my friends over to enjoy it with me.” Ken adds, “If you think washed Ethiopias are too perfumy, natural Ethiopias too lush, Kenyas too kinky, Brazils too quiet, then settle in with this one — a classic Latin America-style coffee on steroids.”

Magnolia’s Namesake Trifecta Magnolia Blend/Magnolia Coffee Company/Charlotte, North Carolina (93 points)

Magnolia Blend from Magnolia Coffee Roasters in Charlotte, North Carolina. Courtesy of Magnolia Coffee.

Jay Gestwicki, Magnolia Coffee founder says, “We discovered that three of our coffees we have sourced for years as wonderful single-origin coffees could be combined to create a new harmony of flavors not possible on their own. We used a special coffee from Papua New Guinea to create a medium body and creaminess with dark chocolate notes. We paired it with our direct-trade Costa Rica Naranjo La Rosa to add milk chocolate tones and light citrus notes. Then, we used a touch of our award-winning Costa Rica Cumbres Del Poas Perla Negra to add additional fruit nuance and natural sweetness. Our roaster, Ben Alleman, nailed each roast. He’s a true culinary artist. Magnolia Coffee is currently just the two of us, and we worked together to refine what is a ’masterpiece’ to us, and what we believe others will find comfort in every day.”

The Coffee Review team found it to be an impeccable medium-roasted blend, with all those deep chocolate notes Alleman was going for, with a light, deft touch that brings out layers and layers of fruit.

Under-the-Radar Rwanda Richness Rwanda Gatare Namasheke/Temple Coffee Roasters/Sacramento, California (93 points)

Coffee drying on raised beds in Rwanda. Courtesy of Falcon Coffee/ Brian Speckman

In 1994, the genocide of approximately 657,000 Tutsis by ethnic-majority Hutus pushed international development agencies into an urgent search for ways to bring economic growth and social healing to Rwanda. They found it in the country’s potential for producing high-end specialty coffee: in its Arabica-friendly terroirs, its traditional tree varieties celebrated for their distinctive cup character, and its smallholding, hard-working coffee farmers. In just a few years, Rwanda graduated from minor, overlooked supplier of commodity coffee to celebrated source of distinctive specialty types.

Temple’s Director of Coffee, Ed Whitman, loves coffees from this origin for their distinct but approachable floral, fruity and brown sugar flavors. Because he finds them to be delicious hot or iced, they’re Whitman’s desert-island coffee. We picked up on that characteristic brown sugar note, too, as well as cocoa and stone fruit notes typical of African Great Lakes coffees.

The Faraway Nearby Ethiopia Konga/The WestBean Coffee Roasters/San Diego, California (93 points)

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Enjoy @thewestbean at home + support our staff by purchasing local craft coffee online at thewestbean.com! 15% of all coffee sales are going to our employees. 🙌☕️

A post shared by The WestBean Coffee Roasters (@thewestbean) on Apr 8, 2020 at 9:45am PDT

“We chose this washed Konga as a great “desert island” coffee due to its everyday drinkability,” says Andrew Kerr of The WestBean. He adds, “It has a nice complex mouthfeel and is comforting to wake up with every morning. We have been enjoying it as a Kalita Wave pourover, but it is a really versatile coffee that has been delicious every single way we have brewed it.” We at CR took pleasure in its paradoxical sweet and tart, crisp and fruit-toned cup profile that speaks of distant lands in a familiar voice — fulfilling Rebecca Solnit’s notion of “the faraway nearby.”

Wherever your contemplative and somatic pleasure antennae lead you, these 15 coffees represent some of the very best coffees in the world, and this is the perfect moment in time to channel your sensory prowess and discover where they might take you — virtually, of course.

The post Desert-Island Coffees: What To Drink When You’re Stuck at Home appeared first on Coffee Review.

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[theblackwaldo-blog]

8:47 AM

I woke up today with deep deep sense of peace, I was up all night filled with an almost limitless energy. I'm not sure of it's source but I know now that it’s there, it is wide and it is deep. I feel like its a well that was always there, I’ve just never tapped into it before. I could feel the words that my instructor imparted to me come up through my gut and out of my mouth "A Dream is not what you see while you’re sleeping, A Dream is what keeps you up at Night", I truly felt those words.

I was surfing on a high from all of the positive feedback I was getting from my latest post on my new blog, a blog that was 2 years in the making. I had tried and failed to start my website many times, I even had one completely done on another web builder, but I never let it see the light of day. As most people like to say, I just didn't feel right, but this, right now, feels right.

As I sit here in my favorite tea shop in India, the only things open are it and the fruit and vegetable vendors on the streets of the market, I'm still trying to figure out why I'm up right now since I did not go to sleep until 4 am and it’s now 8:47, but I feel full of life as if I got a full nights rest.

I'm thankful for this feeling, I woke up and told myself I was going to have some "me" time, I woke up and said my prayers, I woke up and thanked God, I woke up.

Just being alive and in this place and space both mentally and physically is a beautiful gift from God. I know now more than ever that I have a purpose, that I have a calling, and that I have found a passion.

I'm currently reading a book called The Daily Stoic, and it gifted me with some words that feel so aligned with my path that I must rewrite them just to make sure they are ingrained in my being and consciousness, "Be in control of your passions, rather than being controlled by them". I asked God countless times to help me to find mine, and have been presented with them many many times, but it feels like it hasn't been until now, right now, that I truly understand what I must do.

I finally feel like I am in the right frame of mind to write like a used to years ago, I am filled with words, they pour out of me like water out of a fountain, words that I know will fill others up with life's water.

These words are my water and the people whom come to my page are vessels, I feel it is my duty to fill them with something positive, because that is my gift. I wake up almost every single morning happy, but not happy because of what I have or what Ive done, but because of who I am, I am me, and that has been and always will be enough.

I am me when things are going good, I am me when things are going bad, and through every magnitude of measurement in and between those two states of being I am thankful.

Gratitude is a powerful word, and as I wrote yesterday, words are powerful. I spent an entire year focused on my understanding of this one word gratitude, I meditated on it, I wrote about it and now I have gathered the information, studied the knowledge, and attained the wisdom to truly understand its meaning.

The very wise GZA wrote in his book The Tao of Wu "knowledge is knowing, but wisdom is doing" and that’s what I plan to manifest.

The mantra on my page before yesterday was "I am not my thoughts, I am what I do", but I was wrong, this revelation was given to me by my cousin not by blood, but my cousin all the same. If I may, I would like to think of him more like a big brother, in the two weeks I spent in Nairobi, Kenya he poured so much knowledge into me. We stayed up almost every night talking about the origins of man, stoicism, philosophy, manifestation, and what wisdom truly means, we talked of religion, spirituality, and science. We talked of business, family and friends, we talked of life and we talked of love.

God will give you a the same message countless times, he will put you through things over and over again, and bring you around the same type of person or situation until you finally get "it". The message I received from all our talks is the same message my father has always given to me , the same message I see in the friends I admire and look up to, the same message I will leave you with here.

"BE INTENTIONAL"

If you are intentional with your words and your actions, there is nothing that you cannot manifest. Time is just a construct, it will move whether you do a lot or a little, but the purpose and vigor with which you do things is what gives time its true value. Be intentional, and watch how "fast" things change.

[100percentforsure]

Taylor and Emma Take Nairobi pt. 1

It’s been exactly a week since we landed, and I know the memories that feel fresh now, will eventually dissolve as new ones take over. I’m back from Kenya and feeling the “can’t stop thinking about it, can’t stop talking about it, will never be the same” kind of way, and doing my best to 1. go easy on myself and 2. do something productive with the energy. Big trips are good for things like this - they shake up what you think you knew and cause you to step back and reassess how. you. are. living.

When Emma brought the idea of this trip to me a couple weeks before we decided to take it, Kenya had not been on my radar. Emma was born there, so it would be a homecoming for her, a totally different tone - the crux of the trip being what was likely a final trip to her ayah, Susan, who is 93. This was not expected to be a glamorous, restful vacation, nor one riddled with stories of drinking and late night escapades. This was going to be a heart trip - travel that takes you where it wants you to go. Fast paced, no sleep, lots of tears. Keep in mind, Emma and I had not yet traveled together. Having been friends for nearly ten years, we knew each other’s hearts and ways, but were certainly taking a gamble on the rest of it.

We planned it quickly with help of Rose Muya, Emma’s godmother and Nairobi native and owner of Timeless Travels agency - a powerhouse of a woman who chooses words carefully and prefers to question rules. She speaks slowly, surely, beautifully and I have taken on her “Mm”s that she folds into conversation that encourage you to continue talking, as well as a sort of auditory tag committing the new information to your memory. She smells of Joe Malone Orange Blossom and Nectarine, is beautiful, wraps scarves in her hair, wears a red lip and nail, and has a house built in 1952 lined with books. She was our guiding light in this adventure, a home base literally and figuratively, who told us we had nothing to worry about at every point of this travel to take on the burden of worry herself. When Rose came into the picture, it became painfully evident that this trip was written in the stars. Everything was all too easy.

Before I start, know this. In Africa you cry a lot. I cry a lot generally, but I was banking a cry, in some capacity, about once a day. Things are raw, you feel safe to cry, you have chosen to be awake over sleep, and everything is so new and foreign that your brain is on overdrive. So you cry. You cry every day. The hardest I cried was leaving our first guides at Ol Donyo; James and Jeremiah. The second hardest I cried was leaving Rose Muya’s house. Body heave cries, something escaping your body cries. You are SO TIRED after these cries. But you are in Africa so you carry on.

We leave SF with a goodbye to our ride, the ever selfless Kenny Feezor, a commemorative picture, some Gott’s burgers and grey hounds and call to Rose Gallagher (”if you keep throwing around ‘Nakupenda” like that you’re going to come back with Kenyan husbands” “....cool” ), and sleep through our 10 hour flight to Amsterdam. We barely make our connecting flight, but do, and around 10pm the next day, we land in Nairobi. I cry on the landing. We are now in Africa, but not exactly day 1, so I will start my story here, at day 0:

Day 0

There are animal decals all over this airport. The paper in customs feels different than ours - thinner and like wax paper. There are lots of Euro/ African couples with beautiful children. I will try and convince Emma that “these visas are a scam” (not true), Emma will console my customs fear with a pep talk and a kiss on the cheek, which will cause the lesbian couple behind us in line to think we are also gay and start talking to us about Amsterdam’s Pride Parade. We don’t have the energy, post 24 hours of flying, to correct them. We start using “Nakupenda” right away with our driver Joshua (arranged, of course, by Rose), learn some baseline Swahili, and arrive at the house, neighboring the Muthaiga Country Club (yes, that one) and the world’s embassies. Rose greets us. She feeds us passion fruit, shows us to our mosquito netted rooms, we take a quick handheld shower, and tuck in.

Day 1

Kendwa, Rose’s daughter, is up. She is under the impression we landed this morning (a LIE to get her to fall asleep the night before) and has enough eggs and toast on her plate to feed a collegiate linebacker. When I experience firsthand the energy this child outputs, I see where it all goes. Kendwa dances, she does impressions, she asks a lot of questions. Emma and I follow suit with scrambled eggs on toast, which we will have nearly every day for the next two weeks (a meal that will never be the same for me), fresh coffee and passion fruit over watermelon. Passion fruit will be the one thread tying this entire African adventure together as well - more to come on that. We learn this morning that monkeys don’t take women seriously - if one comes in the house, you have to fetch a male security guard to scare it off. We walk to the market, say hi to everyone and see someone cutting their lawn with a MACHETE, use the ATM, and head to the Karura Forest Cafe (”Oh my god, it’s Maxi!”) where we have a passion fruit patio cocktail and experience the rains down in Africa during our hike. We blare “Africa” by Toto and own the situation. Dinner at Muthaiga Club.

Day 2

Driver Sam picks us up from home around 11 for the babysitting experience of his lifetime. He has the luck of still teaching us about Nairobi, explaining to us nuances like “mother tongue” - where babies are taught the mother’s language, driving us through Karen-end (pronounced “Karende!”) explaining to us why there are speed bumps in the middle of the highway, and pointing out “very smart gates!” with some roadside vendors. He drives us to the Giraffe Center, which shares a space with the Giraffe Manor, but we are unable to secure a scam to get through the entrance. I rationalize that “this is okay’ as while at the center, I do not see any giraffes, at that particular time of the day. The giraffes are wild and still allowed to come and go as they please, with specific feeding times for photo ops I am sure they have learned over time. We snag our pictures, have Sam take us to a roadside market for kikois and the best bottle opener you have ever seen, and to the Karen Blixen house for tourism (”WE HATE TOURISTS!” -us, everywhere) and the garden cafe for lunch and coffee. I am exhausted but we are just getting started. It’s now time for us to head to meet Susan, at which point Emma gets quiet. It’s been 20 years since they’ve left each other, surfacing doubts you might expect -  Will Susan remember me? Will she like me? But as we know, that is just not how these things go. We enter into parts of town where people look surprised to see mzungus (white people), and Susan’s granddaughter Knight comes out to meet us. Going on your own, even with a driver as good as Sam, makes getting lost incredibly easy. We are so thankful for Sam and the “way more than driving” job he signed up for. We see Susan, small and frail at nearly a century of life, but beautiful and incredibly stable. It’s so unusual to be around people who have lived that much life. We share pictures and stories and Susan prays for us, Sam translating the emotional exchange all the while. We Facetime Rose (”those were the best years of my life...”) and Ian (”What a beautiful man...!”). We venture down to the beautiful waterfall in the backyard of the slum, over a creek and through leaves as big as a person - where I will cry again when I realize how far from home I am and wondering how the hell I got here. We say a heartfelt goodbye to Susan, and a promise to return before we leave (a promise kept), before venturing to our next part of the evening - Emma’s father’s cousin’s house in Karen. Past 3 land cruisers and armed guards, Sam leaves us at a beautiful, private estate tucked beneath vines and overgrown vegetation, a gigantic backyard for entertaining, and horse stables. We have Indian food and gooseberry reduction with ice cream and share stories of the family, ending the evening with a proper migration picture-painting and discovering that there are two “Emma Louise’s” in the family. One of the guards drives us home at 1am, and after 3 hours of sleep, we get on a plane to meet our destiny at Ol Donyo.

[epchapman89]

Where to Drink Coffee in Seoul’s Hongdae Neighborhood

Located northwest of the Han River, the area around Hongik University (known by the metonym of Hongdae) in Seoul’s Mapo district is home not only to the most renowned arts school in South Korea, but an ever-vibrant and youthful nightlife. Some folks may recognize Hongdae as the backdrop for the famous Korean drama The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the real-life neighborhood is home to a bustling cafe scene. Hongdae’s reputation precedes itself, and depending on the time of your visit, the energy on the streets can be relaxed or animated.

Wandering around during the daytime in the Mapo district on a recent visit to Seoul, I found five distinct cafes providing a range of sensory experiences, from the coffee to the ambience. Whether you’re looking for a place to enjoy music while chatting with friends over an indulgent affogato or a soothing and meditative space to browse through magazines while sipping a mocha, you’d be hard-pressed not to find your next favorite cafe here. Enjoy a great cup of coffee among locals and tourists alike in one of Seoul’s most beloved destinations for all things indie, from arts and music to nightclubs and food.

Coalmine

Coalmine Coffee has a coziness that was especially welcome when I dropped by on a blustery cold December morning. Even walking into the cafe feels like going to see a friend; you go through a gate and a small courtyard to enter the warm and inviting space, cozily lit by glowing lamps strung on the pale, wood-paneled ceiling and scattered over the tables. I can imagine the benches and seating outside would be wonderful during the warmer months. However, it was a chilly winter day and I sipped my delicious espresso con panna indoors.

Coalmine serves single origins or blends in their espresso drinks, single-origin brewed coffee, cold brew, teas, and cakes (including a rotating monthly cake). I appreciated being able to choose between two blends for my espresso con panna: option A was a medium light roast with “floral, fruit, and silky textured” notes, while option B was medium dark with “classic, nutty, and dark chocolate” flavors. The counter was staffed by a friendly but unobtrusive barista who obligingly made recommendations when requested. As demonstrated by the different customers in the cafe, Coalmine is an equally great space for quietly working, reading a book, or mingling with friends.

Coalmine Coffee is located at 43, Jandari-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Conquer Coffee Lab

Although Conquer Coffee Lab just opened in July, Lee Chang Mi (one half of the married duo who owns the cafe) has worked in the coffee business since 2004. Conquer serves espresso drinks, hand drip coffees, teas, and desserts. Lee’s passion for coffee was evident when I chatted with her over the counter as she explained the different coffee options, with selections from South America (Brazil, Colombia, and Guatemala) and Africa (Ethiopia and Kenya).

When asked about the coffee tastes of Conquer’s clientele, Lee said that most of her Korean customers prefer dark roasts, while she herself is a fan of the third wave. On Lee’s recommendation, I ordered a cup of the Ethiopia Kochere coffee that was fresh and lightly acidic. Lee is keen to expand her coffee expertise and share the knowledge with customers. It should be interesting to see how Conquer develops as the owners become more established in the space.

Conquer Coffee Lab is located at 1F 28, Dongmak-ro 8-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

Felt

I nearly walked past Felt and had to double check I was in the right location before I realized the sparely appointed storefront was the cafe I was searching. Minimally decorated with records and a stereo system, Felt has the feel of a beloved music store. The seating is made up of long benches pushed against the floor-to-ceiling windows instead of traditional tables and chairs. The drink menu is as carefully edited as the space, offering six drink choices plus an affogato option, and is priced fairly (ranging from ₩4,000 to ₩6,000, roughly $3.75 to $6). The barista mentioned that Felt roasts its own beans, and bags of coffee ranging from ₩10,000 to ₩16,000 ($10 to $15) from Brazil, Costa Rica, and El Salvador are available for purchase. During my visit, I enjoyed sipping a well-balanced latte while leaning against the windows, relaxing, and soaking up the bright sunshine beaming through the glass.

Felt Coffee is located at 2-47, Changjeon-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Silhouette Coffee

While it’s been merely six months since Silhouette Coffee opened its doors, the cafe already has a striking presence. After being greeted at the door by owner Choi Gil Soo’s adorable dog, I asked about the cafe name. Pointing to the full-length white curtains enveloping the large windows, Choi explains how he was inspired by the beauty of the view of the silhouettes of people and things against those curtains from the outside in. Choi roasts his beans in-house, and the menu is varied, from standard espresso drinks, brewed coffee (hand drip, siphon, or French press), flavored milks, juices, teas, and even beers from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and the US. The doppio I ordered immediately flooded my veins with caffeine, but I could also imagine lingering longer over any of the other drinks while lounging on one of the cushioned seats.

Silhouette Coffee is located at 33-5, Dongmak-ro 8-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Follow them on Instagram.

Zombie Coffee Roasters

As an avowed coffee addict, I admit that I feel like a zombie before that first blessed cup of coffee. Situated on a scruffy side street, Zombie roasts its coffee on the premises and offers drinks and beans for sale (₩10,000 to ₩17,000). Like its coffee, Zombie’s interior is on the darker side with brick, black and white walls, and concrete floors. I glanced at the menu, which has espresso drinks, brewed coffee, fruit drinks, shakes, and teas, before opting for a deliciously creamy cappuccino. The other customers were a mix of folks bent over their laptops on the tables toward the back of the cafe, or people sitting on the stools around longer communal tables while chatting and relishing their coffee break. Since it was winter, the outdoor seating wasn’t available, but I can imagine that it would be pleasant to enjoy some Zombie outside during the warmer months.

Zombie Coffee Roasters is located at 6-5, Wausan-ro 19-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Michelle Hwang is a writer who splits her time between California, Paris, and Seoul.

The post Where to Drink Coffee in Seoul’s Hongdae Neighborhood appeared first on Sprudge.

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[holaafrica]

New Post has been published on http://holaafrica.org/holaa-loves-ngendo-mukii-and-her-sit-down-with-wachera-njagi/

HOLAA Loves: Artist and animator Ng’endo Mukii (and her sit down with Wachera Njagi)

In the car, Ng’endo’s niece talks about a boy in her class. Every time she brings him up, he is described as ‘Half-American’, the reason for being the popular kid in school was because he was half white. Mukii realized that the topic she wanted to research for her graduate dissertation had infiltrated her homestead, serving as the microcosm for a Kenyan, and eventual global, experience with skin bleaching.

The voices of three generations of women find their way in the award-winning documentary animation Yellow Fever. After researching the topic of skin lightening, Ng’endo Mukii chose to indulge emotional reason in lieu of statistics. Mukii takes a softer stance, preferring to challenge those who create and sustain these beauty ideals. Instead of attacking the victims of these unachievable standards of beauty, it is time to address the lack of celebration of women of all appearances.

Yellow Fever from Ng’endo Mukii on Vimeo.

Mukii’s latest film Nairobi Berries, which has won the #ImmersiveEncounters #GrandPrix at the Encounters Short Film Festival, provides immersive experiences in a surrealist dreamscape that operates in a fourth dimension of spatial storytelling. The viewer is hauled into a divergent, atypical actuality. Using Virtual Reality as a mode of storytelling, Mukii notes, “Virtual reality allows you to explore space that you don’t explore on a flat film. There is almost a freedom or a conversion of the element of time that you don’t have in a 2D or 3D film.”

Nairobi Berries Trailer from Ng’endo Mukii on Vimeo.

Virtual reality is a not-long-past medium for storytelling. Unlike other communication mediums like literature and comics that subsist in a two-dimensional space, Nairobi Berries is set in a four-dimensional space that retains the appeal and power to evoke the imagination and connect it to a familiar reality. Mukii wields a poetic composition, submerging the audience in the pigment of water, light and narrative of her relationship with Nairobi in the depth of a juxtaposed dreamscape.

Ng’endo Mukii’s films and artworks are intricate pieces of mixed-media where hand-drawn animation is combined with computer animation, pixilation and live action. Born in Kenya, she studied at the Rhode Island School of Design in the US, and Royal College of Art in London, UK. Now spending her time between Nairobi and Tsavo, Mukii works internationally as a mixed-media filmmaker, animator and editor.

***

Wacera: Your film shows a connection between societal pressures that license skin lightening, the constant media messages that white is pure, and the apt criminalisation of lightening products in the market. What did you learn from the conversations that emerged after sharing Yellow Fever?

Ng’endo: A few years ago, after releasing Yellow Fever, I received [a series of] Facebook messages from one woman from a Middle Eastern country. She wanted to do rhinoplasty because she felt her appearance was unattractive. She said that she was really glad that she came across my film. I don’t know if eventually she decided to do it. Every time she was looking on TV and all the social pointers she was receiving in her life, they were telling her that she was unattractive because of this one feature that she has.

When you talk about white people in Swahili, mzungu, there is no relation to their skin color. We haven’t identified ourselves as being black people, until quite recently. Like, someone is mweusi (black in Swahili). It’s not innate in the language. We were identifying along ethnic information, which is subtler than someone has brown skin or white skin, which I find very superficial.

My perspective is that as soon as you are using certain languages to describe certain groups of people as white and black, it’s already a racist statement. White already has a subtext to purity, being close to God, there’s an ideology around the use of white. Even when women are getting married, the use of white is very specific. [Society wants] women to be virgins, even if they are not – to have the presentation of being virgins and having purity. So even those still getting married and aren’t virgins are expected to wear white. It’s like an offence not to wear white.

I believe the use of black on a group of people to describe them is racist because there is already a history of evil, dark, almost demonic connotations of being black. Even Africa was called the dark continent for a very specific reason. [and] its inhabitants were called black also for a very specific reason.

I was debating with someone online about how, in Germany, if you are riding the train and you haven’t paid, you are called Schwarzfahrer which means ‘a black passenger’. They were debating whether it is racist or not. Someone said well it cannot be racist because you know there are all these things that already have connotations with the word black. The Black Plague, now this black passenger, the black of night, the black market… the word black has all these connotations.

I agree that the word black already has several connotations of illegality, doom, darkness and disease on it. [But] the fact that this word was applied to an entire group of people is racist in itself, because you are choosing the word for a reason. So, I can’t be on the train without being a black passenger, whether I have paid or not. So, I’m always a black passenger and in Germany that means I’m always avoiding fares, even if I have paid. The more I look at how this idea of race has divided people into different categories, the more I have realised it’s very immature. Somehow scientists were able to convince the entire planet that we have categories called race, and put people in one called ‘black’.

Wacera: You titled Yellow Fever after Fela Kuti’s song with the same title. Your work is a deliberate inquisition of why black women bleach, and Kuti criticised women who bleach. With different passionate ideas coming through from conception to execution, how do you get rid of bias and stay devoted to the work’s purpose?

Ng’endo: When you are dealing with your family in your film, it becomes personal. I’m not pointing at women who are bleaching their skin who I met on the street, or somewhere else through someone. These are people who I care about. I don’t think I’ll be talking about them the way Fela Kuti was. The reason I use the title is to reflect back on that song for the people who know it. He wrote it decades ago, and the topic is still as relevant today. I don’t want to have his perspective of pointing fingers and making accusations. I feel that’s also a masculine reaction to something that is seen as a woman’s problem.

I wanted to have a more humanistic approach to “What is the problem of the society?”. It is not a woman’s problem. The society is telling women something specific. Women are bleaching their skin because they know it’s going to make a difference in their lives. They are going to have better partners, job promotions.

If you are wearing a weave, wearing an afro or dreadlocks, it can affect your career path depending on what line of work you are in, and how provincial minded the people who are employing you are. Obviously if you are making these changes and everyone is just pointing at you saying how fake you are, but at the same time you are getting promotions and being celebrated for being attractive, you are sending very conflicting messages to women in society. So this is not a women’s problem, this is a societal problem. That’s the reason I use the title to Fela Kuti’s song; to try to get people to look at it differently.

Wacera: Nairobi Berries is a dreamscape where you use space to engage and sustain surrealism using VR, in the African context. What does Nairobi mean to you?

Ng’endo: The title of the film is pointing to the term Nairobbery. We are all doing whatever we are doing in the city because we think we are going to reap fruit from Nairobi; the Nairobi berries. We are all participating in this patriarchy within a hierarchy of finance willing to do Nairobbery, practice corruption, willing to do whatever. That’s why all these characters are running around, aggressively chasing each other and fighting each other. I do play with space in the scope of VR, but I’m looking at the space of the city in social terms.

At first when I was trying to make the film, I had not yet written the poem. I talked with my producers and told them that I wanted to show different parts of the city. [and] as soon as you’re making a film about Nairobi, people almost feel like it’s not authentic if you’re not including Kibera. [but] Kibera is not my life. There are times that I have gone into Kibera to do quite specific stuff. I don’t hang out in Kibera. I wanted to feature Ng’ong Hills, but I go to Ng’ong Hills once or twice a year. So, it’s not my life.

Once I wrote the poem and started to address the visuals from that perspective, that meant that I was able to make my own vision of Nairobi that was completely free of this social construct of what people understand Nairobi to be, and it can be my own personal space. The water represents how I feel in the space.

Initially, I did debate calling my film Nairoberry. I wrote the poem and then created the imagery to reflect on the poetry, but I also wanted the film to be independent, standing free from the poetry. There are really beautiful parts in the poem that really feed me, that make me really happy to be part of the city. [and] then there are the other parts that are really difficult, the darkness that exists in our city that is always on the edge.

No matter where you live, even if you live in an extremely economically advantaged neighbourhood, you are most likely living near a slum. Lavington suburbs neighbour Kawangware slum, Kileleshwa suburbs neighbour Kariokor slums, Karen suburbs neighbour parts of Dagoretti. We are always living side-by-side because we depend on each other.

I didn’t want to call the film Nairoberry because the reason we have Nairoberry is because we believe we are going to get something. [and] when you do get the fruits of the city, they are extremely beautiful. The fact that there is still space in the city to bask and relax, and it is beautiful. You can’t do that in many European cities, because it’s difficult to access open spaces, and you have to be extremely wealthy and such related factors. However, we get that access in expense of other people.

Wacera: A thing that I really admire about your films is how poetic allegory plays such a major role in your reel. Is it important for you to hold your own voice within the work?

Ng’endo: I enjoy writing poetry. A lot of what I write comes from a personal space, so it feels quite natural for me to be the one that reads it. The memories in Yellow Fever are my own. The poetry in Yellow Fever are the conclusions I’m coming to from the process of making the film. They are my own thoughts and that’s why they are in my voice. In Nairobi Berries, my experience with Nairobi is written from my own perspective. I use my voice in the poem because this is my experience. I understand that it is not everyone’s experience – I do not want to paint it as if it is.

My sister and I have had the same upbringing. It doesn’t mean she sees Nairobi in the same exact way that I do. There is one line I wrote, “I love you most, at midday, as I drink masala and do not hear the screams of women I cannot help thrashing in the darkness”. That is based on my experience last year. Twice, I heard women screaming in the middle of the night. This year, I heard gunshots and someone screaming after. I called the police because I thought to myself ‘it’s too much’. They take the information down, but I have no idea whether they respond. Of course, I’m not getting out of my house to go and get shot as well. The screams were near my house – for me to go out there is to do what?

So, you are stuck in this place. [and] then in the morning you wake up and continue with your daily tasks. The afternoon comes, I enjoy drinking masala tea, basking by the grass, enjoying myself and the freedom that I have in this space separated from other people. So I’m enjoying Nairobi for a very specific reason. [Because] I’m not dealing with traffic, I’m not dealing with the discomfort of how our bodies are compressed with each other in a matatu (a 14-seater public service vehicle). The seat is for three people and a fourth passenger is asking why you are not making space for them. I’m not dealing with that compression, at that particular moment

One of the things about my films is that you can tell someone that I’ve made a film about skin bleaching. [but] when they watch Yellow Fever, that is not what they are expecting. If you told people my film is about skin bleaching, they expect a really serious documentary with numbers and information. There are no numbers in my film! I’m not giving you any statistics on how people use bleaching products or how big the industry is, as it’s not what I’m looking at. I’m looking at the emotional reason we bleach. Same thing with Nairobi Berries. I’m not telling you how many people are murdered or police brutality statistics. I am still telling you that I wake up in the night and hear women screaming. [and] that for me, it doesn’t matter how many numbers you throw at me. The feeling I had that night, I can’t put a number to that feeling.

Wacera: In your photo series Untitled Labour Series, you present your black skin as your canvas. Is it for reclamation?

Ng’endo: I don’t feel like I’m reclaiming black skin in that particular series. I’m the one posing in the photos. I wanted the subject to be someone local, because the series was about raising awareness about human trafficking. I was interested in focusing in the ways in which the body is distorted with the daily tasks people have to do. The images show people carrying kuni (firewood in Swahili), carrying mitungis (heavy flasks in Swahili) of water.

These are things people do, not even once a day, several times a day, because there is no infrastructure to support them so that they don’t have to be doing this. It happens all over… like, outside of my house, there are always children carrying water back to their houses because they are not connected to the water system. Carrying kuni. I was exploring the topic and it had to do with the body. I was focusing more on the compression of the body under this daily acts that we don’t consider them to be abusive. They are very normalised.

Contracted body,

twisted,

bent

and metamorphosed

into

a creature inhuman.

A crushed soul.

….

It rolls back,

Inverting the body into itself.

Spasms of muscle,

heaves of lung,

crackle of joints.

Disappear along sinews

of a wordless tongue.

This was first published on Equality Her.

[equalityforher]

Artist Spotlight: Ng’endo Mukii

In the car, Ng’endo’s niece talks about a boy in her class. Everytime she brings him up, he is described as ‘Half-American’. The reason for being the popular kid in school was because he was half white. Mukii realized that the topic she wanted to research for her graduate dissertation had infiltrated her homestead, serving as the microcosm for a Kenyan, and eventual global, experience with skin bleaching.

The voices of three generations of women find their way in the award-winning documentary animation Yellow Fever. After researching the topic of skin lightening, Ng’endo Mukii chose to indulge emotional reason in lieu of statistics. Mukii takes a softer stance, preferring to challenge those who create and sustain these beauty ideals. Instead of attacking the victims of these unachievable standards of beauty, it is time to address the lack of celebration of women of all appearances.

Mukii’s latest film Nairobi Berries, which has won the #ImmersiveEncounters #GrandPrix at the Encounters Short Film Festival, provides immersive experiences in a surrealist dreamscape that operates in a fourth dimension of spatial storytelling. The viewer is hauled into a divergent, atypical actuality. Using Virtual Reality as a mode of storytelling, Mukii notes, “Virtual reality allows you to explore space that you don’t explore on a flat film. There is almost a freedom or a conversion of the element of time that you don’t have in a 2D or 3D film.”

Virtual reality is a not-long-past medium for storytelling. Unlike other communication mediums like literature and comics that subsist in a two-dimensional space, Nairobi Berries is set in a four-dimensional space that retains the appeal and power to evoke the imagination and connect it to a familiar reality. Mukii wields a poetic composition, submerging the audience in the pigment of water, light and narrative of her relationship with Nairobi in the depth of an juxtaposed dreamscape.

Ng’endo Mukii’s films and artworks are intricate pieces of mixed-media where hand-drawn animation is combined with computer animation, pixilation and live action. Born in Kenya, she studied at the Rhode Island School of Design in the US, and Royal College of Art in London, UK. Now spending her time between Nairobi and Tsavo, Mukii works internationally as a mixed-media filmmaker, animator and editor.

Wacera: Your film shows a connection between societal pressures that license skin lightening, the constant media messages that white is pure, and the apt criminalisation of lightening products in the market. What did you learn from the conversations that emerged after sharing Yellow Fever?

Ng’endo: A few years ago after releasing Yellow Fever, I received Facebook messages from one woman from a Middle Eastern country. She wanted to do rhinoplasty because she felt her appearance was unattractive. She said that she was really glad that she came across my film. I don’t know if eventually she decided to do it. Everytime she was looking on TV and all the social pointers she was receiving in her life, they were telling her that she was unattractive because of this one feature that she has.           

When you talk about white people in Swahili, mzungu, there is no relation to their skin color. We haven’t identified ourselves as being black people, until quite recently. Like, someone is mweusi (black in Swahili). It’s not innate in the language. We were identifying along ethnic information, which is more subtle than someone has brown skin or white skin, which I find very superficial.

My perspective is that as soon as you are using certain languages to describe certain groups of people as white and black, it’s already a racist statement. White already has a subtext to purity, being close to God, there’s an ideology around the use of white. Even when women are getting married, the use of white is very specific. [Society wants] women to be virgins, even if they are not - to have the presentation of being virgins and having purity. So even those still getting married and aren’t virgins are expected to wear white. It’s like an offence not to wear white.

 I believe the use of black on a group of people to describe them is racist because there is already a history of evil, dark, almost demonic connotations of being black. Even Africa was called the dark continent for a very specific reason. [and] its inhabitants were called black also for a very specific reason.

I was debating with someone online about how, in Germany, if you are riding the train and you haven’t paid, you are called Schwarzfahrer which means a black passenger. They were debating whether it is racist or not. Someone said well it cannot be racist because you know there are all these things that already have connotations with the word black. The Black Plague, now this black passenger, the black of night, the black market… the word black has all these connotations.

I agree that the word black already has several connotations of illegality, doom, darkness and disease on it. [But] the fact that this word was applied to an entire group of people is racist in itself, because you are choosing the word for a reason. So I can’t be on the train without being a black passenger, whether I have paid or not. So I’m always a black passenger and in Germany that means I’m always avoiding fares, even if I have paid. The more that I’ve looked at how this idea of race has divided people into different categories, it’s very immature. Somehow scientists were able to convince the entire planet that we have categories called race, and put people in one called black.

Wacera: You titled Yellow Fever after Fela Kuti’s song with the same title. Your work is a deliberate inquisition of why black women bleach, and Kuti criticised women who bleach. With different passionate ideas coming through from conception to execution, how do you get rid of bias and stay devoted to the work’s purpose?

Ng’endo: When you are dealing with your family in your film, it becomes personal. I’m not pointing at women who are bleaching their skin who I met on the street, or somewhere else through someone. These are people who I care about. I don’t think I’ll be talking about them the way Fela Kuti was. The reason I use the title is to reflect back on that song for the people who know it. He wrote it decades ago, and the topic is still as relevant today. I don’t want to have his perspective of pointing fingers and making accusations. I feel that’s also a masculine reaction to something that is seen as a woman’s problem.

I wanted to have a more humanistic approach to “What is the problem of the society?”. It is not a woman’s problem. The society is telling women something specific. Women are bleaching their skin because they know it’s going to make a difference in their lives. They are going to have better partners, job promotions.

If you are wearing a weave, wearing an afro or dreadlocks, it can affect your career path depending on what line of work you are in, and how provincial minded the people who are employing you are. Obviously if you are making these changes and everyone is just pointing at you saying how fake you are, but at the same time you are getting promotions and being celebrated for being attractive, you are sending very conflicting messages to women in society. So this is not a women’s problem, this is a societal problem. That’s the reason I use the title to Fela Kuti’s song; to try to get people to look at it differently.

Wacera: Nairobi Berries is a dreamscape where you use space to engage and sustain surrealism using VR, in the African context. What does Nairobi mean to you?

Ng’endo: The title of the film is pointing to the term Nairobbery. We are all doing whatever we are doing in the city because we think we are going to rip fruit from Nairobi; the Nairobi berries. We are all participating in this patriarchy within a hierarchy of finance willing to do Nairobbery, practice corruption, willing to do whatever. That’s why all these characters are running around, aggressively chasing each other and fighting each other. I do play with space in the scope of VR, but I’m looking at the space of the city in social terms.

At first when I was trying to make the film, I had not yet written the poem. I talked with my producers and told them that I wanted to show different parts of the city. [and] as soon as you’re making a film about Nairobi, people almost feel like it’s not authentic if you’re not including Kibera. [but] Kibera is not my life. There are times that I have gone into Kibera to do quite specific stuff. I don’t hang out in Kibera. I wanted to feature Ng’ong Hills, but I go to Ng’ong Hills once or twice a year. So it’s not my life.  

Once I wrote the poem and started to address the visuals from that perspective, that meant that I was able to make my own vision of Nairobi that was completely free of this social construct of what people understand Nairobi to be, and it can be my own personal space. The water represents how I feel in the space.

Initially, I did debate calling my film Nairoberry. I wrote the poem and then created the imagery to reflect on the poetry, and also for the film to be independently standing free from the poetry. There are really beautiful parts in the poem that really feed me, that make me really happy to be part of the city. [and] then there are the other parts that are really difficult, the darkness that exists in our city that is always on the edge.

No matter where you live, even if you live in a really economically advanced neighbourhood, you are most likely living near a slum. Lavington suburbs neighbour Kawangware slum, Kileleshwa suburbs neighbour Kariokor slums, Karen suburbs neighbour parts of Dagoretti. We are always living side-by-side because we depend on each other.

I didn’t want to call the film Nairoberry because the reason we have Nairoberry is because we believe we are going to get something. [and] when you do get the fruits of the city, they are extremely beautiful. The fact that there is still space in the city to bask and relax, and it is beautiful. You can’t do that in many European cities, because it’s difficult to access open spaces, and you have to be extremely wealthy and such related factors. However, we get that access in expense of other people.

Wacera: A thing that I really admire about your films is how poetic allegory plays such a major role in your reel. Is it important for you to hold your own voice within the work?

Ng’endo: I enjoy writing poetry. A lot of what I write comes from a personal space, so it feels quite natural for me to be the one that reads it. The memories in Yellow Fever are my own. The poetry in Yellow Fever are the conclusions I’m coming to from the process of making the film. They are my own thoughts and that’s why they are in my voice. In Nairobi Berries, my experience with Nairobi is written from my own perspective. I use my voice in the poem because this is my experience. I understand that it is not everyone’s experience - I do not want to paint it as if it is.

My sister and I have had the same upbringing. It doesn’t mean she sees Nairobi in the same exact way that I do. There is one line I wrote, “I love you most, at midday, as I drink masala and do not hear the screams of women I cannot help thrashing in the darkness”. That is based on my experience last year. Twice, I heard women screaming in the middle of the night. This year, I heard gunshots and someone screaming after. I called the police because I thought to myself it’s too much. They take the information down, but I have no idea whether they respond. Of course I’m not getting out of my house to go and get shot as well. The screams were near my house - for me to go out there is to do what?

So you are stuck in this place. [and] then in the morning you wake up and continue with your daily tasks. The afternoon comes, I enjoy drinking masala tea, basking by the grass, enjoying myself and the freedom that I have in this space separated from other people. So I’m enjoying Nairobi for a very specific reason. [Because] I’m not dealing with traffic, I’m not dealing with the discomfort of how our bodies are compressed with each other in a matatu (a 14-seater public service vehicle). The seat is for three people and a fourth passenger is asking why you are not making space for them. I’m not dealing with that compression, at that particular moment.

One of the things about my films is that you can tell someone that I’ve made a film about skin bleaching. [but] when they watch Yellow Fever, that is not what they are expecting. If you told people my film is about skin bleaching, they expect a really serious documentary with numbers and information. There are no numbers in my film! I’m not giving you any statistics on how people use bleaching products or how big the industry is, as it’s not what I’m looking at. I’m looking at the emotional reason we bleach. Same thing with Nairobi Berries. I’m not telling you how many people are murdered or police brutality statistics. I am still telling you that I wake up in the night and hear women screaming. [and] that for me, it doesn’t matter how many numbers you throw at me. The feeling I had that night, I can’t put a number to that feeling.

Wacera: In your photo series Untitled Labour Series, you present your black skin as your canvas. Is it for reclamation?

Ng’endo: I don’t feel like I’m reclaiming black skin in that particular series. I’m the one posing in the photos. I wanted the subject to be someone local, because the series was about raising awareness about human trafficking. I was interested in focusing in the ways in which the body is distorted with the daily tasks people have to do. The images show people carrying kuni (firewood in Swahili), carrying mitungis (heavy flasks in Swahili) of water.

These are things people do, not even once a day, several times a day, because there is no infrastructure to support them so that they don’t have to be doing this. It happens all over… like, outside of my house, there are always children carrying water back to their houses because they are not connected to the water system. Carrying kuni. I was exploring the topic and it had to do with the body. I was focusing more on the compression of the body under this daily acts that we don’t consider them to be abusive. They are very normalised.

 Contracted body,

twisted,

bent

and metamorphosed

into

a creature inhuman.

A crushed soul.

….

It rolls back,

Inverting the body into itself.

Spasms of muscle,

heaves of lung,

crackle of joints.

Disappear along sinews

of a wordless tongue.

 References:

Yellow Fever on Vimeo

Nairobi Berries trailer on Vimeo

Untitled Labour photo series

[bjornartesttest]

May 2017

So its now been around two months since last post. There has been some changes, but no major changes I would say. Lets see

Work:

I helped Agatha  with her school project, a relatively quick project that went pretty smooth. I cant say I had too much of a say in it though, as she had a very clear idea about how she wanted to go through with it. We had a launch at the top of The Thief with loads of readings and performances. Fun, but also a bit exhausting. I did it for free, on a very short notice as a friend. Ive been doing that quite a lot for her. Its still mainly fun, but I am also a bit unsure about her processes sometimes. 

I also made a catalogue for Vårutstillingen that went pretty well recently, so they already hired me to do a project for them in August. Other then that I helped Trollkrem with a little floor text for their exhibition at HaIK, and I am still working with Tableau on their website. She keeps on changing stuff witch is kind of frustrating (Tove), but Im just going with the flow and helping her when she needs me. Easier that way, + we need to keep a good tone. Hopefully we are soon done!

Me and Morri are also working together on a project atm for Stavanger Kunstsenter, together with Geir Haraldseth. Its been quite nice I must say - we have a quite nice tone and inspire each other I think. We have been thinking about doing more work together in the future and I have been thinking a lot about this lately. I am thinking about doing a career change next winter, and I think if I have people like him to work with that would make a change like that quite fruitful. I am also potentially working with this other guy, Alex on a small project but we keep on extending the deadline and now he is considering moving to England, so lets see..

Basically what I need to do it to sit down properly and think though things. Step by step, and gradually make the rigght moves. It would be great to go into the summer having thought properly about this so I can spend some time to digest and take it in. I need to head full on this fall if I am going to make it work, and I need to make a proper busines plan and some savings. Ideally I need to save up money to cover my basics for about 6 months. Thats about 70.000 NOK. Can I save up 70.000 next fall?? Next week me, Harald and Saga will have a study group about a book Harald recomended. I will buy the book today. 

At Bleed Ive been working a lot with Visit Norway and a project for them regarding safety in nature. Ive been given a lot of responisibility, and its been quite fun. I went to Preiestolen for a week f.ex to Art Direct 5 movies. Now Im finalizing the project and am hoping that it will end up smooth. 

Im also the leader of Grafill Grafisk design, and would really like to make a bit more out if it. I dont think I am goving it the attention it needs atm, so I will talk more with Sara about this today. How can we make the most out of this??

Relations:

Me and Ingemar still hang out a lot as friends and that’s working out relatively fine. Hes still a bit much to handle sometimes though. Last week he started dating someone new. A 22 year old, super sweet and stunning guy from Rogaland. At first I was weirdened out by it and not quite sure how I felt. Was I jealous? Did I feel old? What was I supposed to feel? Everyone also got quite drunk and they started kissing very openly in the middle of the room, in fornt of everyone. I think my reaction was that I just got a bit numb and not sure how to focus my thoughts. I ended up sitting down with them and talking with the new guy and I really liked his personality.  I think he is good for Ingemar, and I think I can get used to seeing more of him, and also letting my friendship with ingemar more normalized. It feels kind of like he is a younger brother, or something a long those lines.

After the last time I wrote, I asked Germain what he wanted, and he was honest and straight forward about him not being in the right space to move forward with me. He got in touch agin a few weeks ago and we met. We tried to have sex, and the chemistry was gone. I think I got a bit overwhelmed by it all. It has felt like so many failures and rejections in the love-sector lately and I think it definitely put me a bit down mentally. I had a long break from both seeing and meeting up for hookups with boys, with was really good for me. A slow build up that made things more calm and made me stronger and more focused mentally. Having that said I recently had a setback. After easter holiday I sort of went all overboard and digged bit too deep into things - meaning sex. It was soooo nice to have sex, feel passion, skin and lust again after such a long break that I sort of just lost myself a bit into it again. During the past of 4 weeks Ive probably had 15 sex partners, at the most seeing 3 boys in one day. Why? And should I feel bad a bout it? A lot of it is really hot, but I often end up feeling broken in the aftermath. Like I give a little bit of myself each time, and then I loose grip on myself a bit and get this feeling of not begin in control anymore. Its like just urging for more more more more and then then more you get you get this bad tasting sauce. For instance, I met up with a two different guys the to days prior to my lat meeting with Germain. How could I possibly find more room for him from a passionate point of view after that? I could hardly even get it up.. Also, because Im on PreP Ive had more unprotected sex. This again has lead to me now having a STD (not sure which one yet), with is also extremely downgrading, as its only about a month since I tested myself the last time. I am working as a voluntair - testing people for STDs for goods sake. I should be able to have a more grounded relation to sex myself too then no? I think maybe the goal here needs to be that I can see guys for sex, but that I need to cut down on my availability again, as it gets a bit too much into my head. Once every now and then is OK, but not more then once per week. You can do that. Other boys.. Ive met a few great guys here and there, but I am not in a place where I am ready to chase any one right now. Why can’t someone chase me for a change? Lets see what time brings. Vegard and Sigbjørn has a very cute friend called Ole. He added me on both instagram and Facebook so maybe thats good for something. Max is also in town now for a few weeks. Maybe Ill send him a text and checks out if he wants to meet up for a bottle of wine some day next week. Caution though: Max really got to my feelings the last time. Better safe then sorry?

Roger texted me yesterday, like he usually does every 3 - 4 months. Sweet messages. Hes thinking about looking for a new job. Exciting and scary for him I guess. Im missing his lust for me a bit still. 

Friends

I have been hanging out a lot with some new friends of mine quite a lot lately - Vegard and Sigbjørn (a couple). We have met almost every week, and have been on holiday trips together as well as going out quite a lot - also togehter rwith Ingemar actually. Sort of a new unit. Its been really nice to bring in some new perspectives and positive people in my life. I feel I can be 100% myself, and talk about the good and the bad, and they generally make me feel very secure and rooted. We are also heading to Tel Aviv this summer - looking forward.

Life

Someone read my tarrot card last week. It said I had 3 previous love interests that all were differetn and very important for my past developemnt. Duh: Roger, Antti and Tim. It also said that I was in a good place professionally, that I was a good leader, a high performer and ambitioius. For the future it said I would go though a huge change thatwould be really challenging and make me see life in a different way. I could expereince health issues, so I should look after myself. Im thinking this change might be 2018. Lets make the change as proactive and challenging in the rigth ways so I can land safely on the other side...

Other:

Im going for a weeding to Deepti my first girlfriend this week in Kristinasand. Indina/Norwegain wedding with loads of lovely old friends. I actulaly think it will be really nice

The week after Im heading to Lisboa for a weeked to viit a guy I met in Kirgizistan last summer. He is tiny, has a big dick, and a scooter. lol.. I think it will be a fun weekend. 

Im going to Tel Aviv this summer with Benni, Vik, Kris, Vegard and Sigbjørn. Were watching Britney.. hehe. wil be fun. 10 days in a huge appartment. After that Im heading to Kenya to hang with Carmen. Were doing safari, beach and some mountain hiking. Ending it all off in Berlin. Probably broke as hell...

Ok thats it for today!

To do:

- Make 6 month plans

- Talk further with Morri

- Plan Grafill more in depth

- One boy a week

- Book last plane trip in Kenya

- Make a updated better list.....