At the end of February, my friend and colleague Athena and I took a trip to visit the coffee growing regions of El Salvador. For those of us that work in the coffee industry, visiting a farm is a must do in our career. Over the next couple of weeks, Athena and I will be compiling our notes and pictures to put together a presentation that will include photos, video footage, and stories of our travels. In the mean time, I wanted to share some of my thoughts on why it so important to support coffee growers around the world:

"Visiting a coffee farm was one of the most amazing experiences Ive ever had. Seeing the entire process first hand really changes how I feel about drinking my morning coffee. There are so many people involved in getting the coffee into our cups&from the harvesters who walk the steep mountain slopes handpicking the coffee cherries, to the mill manager who works countless hours to ensure everything is running smoothly, to the workers that carry 150 lb bags of coffee on their backs. As Im sipping my morning coffee, Ill never forget all of those peoples faces and all of the hard work that went into getting that coffee from crop to cup. Socially Responsible Coffee is more than just a business decision&its the right thing to do."

The next time you grab your morning coffee...think about all of the people that made it possible for you to enjoy it. Of course...don't forget to sip slowly.