If needed, we happily own up to our sometimes flippant attitude. So much of coffee culture is not only rife with politics, but dehumanized by the size of things like the overgrowth and now retreat of that character from Moby Dick. Now they're selling instant? Good grief!

In all coffee growing countries there are rich cultural practices surrounding the picking, pulping, hulling and general mayhem that coffee goes through to get into the cup. Why not have some fun while we're getting spiked on good old caffeine?

Hey but seriously, we are happy to answer any questions, technical or otherwise about the coffee and the birds. Give us a shout.

Q: What are the names of the birds on this site?

A: Please write us an email with a specific question and we´ll be happy to answer. If you have a bird or coffee image that you think would look nice on the site, please send it along. Good enough pictures might just rate a free pound of beans!

Q: How often does the Shadier Than Thou Coffee Club deliver my coffee?

A: Club members receive two full pounds every month from different origins around the world. This best bird-friendly coffee is accompanied by the Shadier Than Thou Newsletter from the Field which explains some aspect of the birds-coffee nexus, straight from the agricultural frontier.

Q: How do I get the best brew from my Shadier Coffee?

A: Use cool clean water and if it´s from the tap, let it sit for a minute so that the chlorine fumes can go up into the atmosphere. Grind your beans according to the machine you will use... Finer for espresso and rougher for percolators and somewhere in between for filter-drip. If you are going to boil it in an enamel pot over a cook fire, you may wish to crush the beans with a rock before hand.

Q: What is your policy as regards organic and other certifications?

A: Third Party Certification

We believe in and source third-party certified coffees. In fact Brian has done translating work for Fairtrade inspectors and is currently helping with the organic certification of our local growers' association in Pacto, Ecuador. We do feature Smithsonian Bird Friendly, Rainforest Alliance, organic and Fairtrade certified coffees from very birdy places; certification lends some objectivity to what at times may seem some fairly nebulous qualities. That being said, we must remember that each coffee is different and we will treat them as they deserve. You can get more info every month in our "Newsletter from the Field" available to Shadier Than Thou coffee club members and wholesale customers.

There is more to the story! As you can see, we are planting coffee at the edge of bird sanctuaries and bird tourism lodges on previously degraded habitat. In the case of the Mindo Cloudforest Foundation bird sanctuaries our coffee is part of a sustainability strategy:

"These important sites operate on birding tourism income. What happens if the birders stop coming due to global terrorism, high fuel costs or carbon constraints? If coffee grown by Shadier Than Thou can help pay the staff, this little foundation can keep the sanctuaries afloat..."