We Buy Fairly Traded Coffee       
One thing that must be sorted out is the distinction between the organization called "Fair Trade" and coffee that is "fairly traded."

Fairtrade is an marketing system that gives disadvantaged farmers a guaranteed price for their products. "Fair Trade" certifies smaller farms that are part of a co-op. They set certain standards and requirements for the farm as well as the price paid for the product.

If a farm is large or is already caring for the land and its workers as well as receiving a fair wage it will likely not  pay the fee to be part of the "Fair Trade" certification. This is the case for many farms that produce specialty coffee. Many farms are actually paid two to three times more than "Fair Trade" requires. So if a farm is not "Fair Trade" certified, it does not mean it is not being fairly traded, in fact, some farms exceed the "Fair Trade" standards.

At the moment the farms we receive our coffee from in Sumatra and Ethiopia are Fair Trade and organic certified.

There are other organizations that insure the care of growers. Rather than emphasizing how products are traded,  Rain Forest Alliance certification standards focus on how farms are managed. They cover a full range of worker protection issues including the right to organize; the right to a safe, clean working environment; the right to be paid at least the national minimum wage; dignified housing (including potable water); access to medical care for workers and their families and access to free education for workers' children.

Our Naranjo coffee in Costa Rica is Rain Forest Alliance certified.

The organic Colombian coffee we serve from the Mesa de los Santos Estate is also Rain Forest Alliance certified, as well as certified Bird Friendly.

It is our goal as well as that of our roaster to serve the freshest, greatest tasting coffee available, while doing what we can to support those farms that care for life and the earth.

Read more about certifications at  www.ethicalcoffee.net

We Use Water-Processed Decaffeinated Coffee       
In most decaffeination methods, chemical solvents such as methylene chloride or ethyl acetate are used to strip caffeine molecules from the green coffee bean.

Instead, our decaf coffee is created with a water process that uses pure water to gently remove the caffeine until the coffee beans are 99.9% caffeine-free, while maintaining the bean's distinctive origin and flavor characteristics. 

We Buy Local         
We buy from local farms and bakers as much as possible.  We buy 100% of our produce at Lancaster's Central Market. We make our own soups and biscotti. Our dairy products come from Pineview Acres Dairy (New Danville) and Kreider Dairy Farms (Manheim). We buy our baked goods from a local baker and another small gluten-free bakery. Other food products are sourced from a local company, Hometown Provisions and some is from Sysco.

We Recycle       
We use biodegradeable take out containers and recycled/able bags, glass bottles and plastic cups. We use use reusable glass  and china whenever possible to eliminate the use of throw-away products.



We Love Kids      
We have high chair seating available for toddlers, and menu items just for kids.  On the book shelf we have even a few books and games your kids can play while you enjoy your coffee.