Station 1 invites you to learn more about how we are connected to coffee growing in Latin America. Did you know that Grimsby birds winter there? In the past in Latin America, coffee has been heavily sprayed and fertilized with synthetic fertilizers. Sprawling massive fields stretch out for miles. While this created high coffee yields it was also devastated the environment and wildlife. Returning to organic methods and going coffee in concert with a rainforest canopy have resulted in beans with a deeper and richer flavour.
And how does my Grimsby garden relate to coffee growing? The answer is simple: many of the birds who live in Latin America in the winter are migratory, also live here in the summer. These include orioles, tanagers, and warblers. What about hummingbirds? The Indigo bunting?
The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center in Washington, D.C has identified ecologically sustainable farming methods that provide a welcome habitat for birds. They developed certification standards for making bird-friendly coffee. One can differentiate between shade-grown, organic, fair-trade and bird-friendly.
Marilyn Cornwell will help you get started with ten 'super trees' native to our area, and 12 'native perennial flowers' for your gardens.
