Celebrating a Well-Crafted Beginning

December marked another month of steady progress toward the soft opening of our coffeehouse and roastery, and it's truly inspiring to see how far we've come when we look back over the past year.

In this month's blog post, we review our progress in December, explore our updated coffee transparency report for the new year, and share some insights on the importance of intentional well-crafted beginnings.

Our Progress in December

In December, we achieved some significant milestones:

• Our building passed health and electrical systems inspections with both the county and state.
• We were awarded a “Rural Energy for America Program” (REAP) grant through the state of Wisconsin. This Rural Development investment was used to install a net metered ground-mounted solar pergola on the southside of the building, which will produce approximately 20,000 kWh a year.
• We are also continuing to track toward becoming a Certified B Corporation by early 2024.
• We completed the updates to our interior, providing cozy customer seating for everyone to relax, connect with friends, and enjoy their coffee.
• Caleb Walker, our new head of coffee (aka coffee roasting guru), made a big move from Montana to his new farm in Cumberland, WI. Moving across the country is no small feat, so make sure to give him a huge welcome when you see him at the coffeehouse and roastery when you meet him early next year.  🎉👋☕

Our coffeehouse and roastery in Barronett, Wisconsin – December 2023

Our coffee transparency report evolution

As we move into 2024, we are going to lean even further into our farmer-first approach, recognizing that coffee is predominantly produced by families, not large corporations. We are committed to offering only high-quality specialty coffee from family farms, with coffee that scores 84 or higher on the Coffee Quality Institute grading scale and is grown utilizing agricultural practices that are beneficial for the planet and your health. Take a look at our updated transparency report format for our coffee: El Salvador Transparency Report.

This approach underscores Bear Lake Coffee Co.'s dedication to ethical sourcing, a focus on quality, and its support for direct relationships with farmers. Our commitment to a farm gate coffee purchasing program in 2024 will play a vital role in enhancing the livelihoods of the hardworking families behind our coffee. Farm gate pricing, simply put, refers to the amount of money that coffee farmers receive for the coffee beans they sell when they bring their harvest to a local coffee processing station or to an exporter at the port of origin. It's called 'farm gate' because it represents the point at which the coffee leaves the hands of the farmer and enters the coffee supply chain. We believe the specialty coffee supply chain should recognize and financially reward coffee farmers who are committed to producing high-quality beans and taking care of the planet.

In closing

“The beginning is the most important part of the work."

~Plato

This quote echoes in my mind, summing up my reflections on the past year. Plato's words emphasize the vital importance of starting any endeavor with excellence and a clear sense of purpose. They remind us that a well-crafted beginning often determines the entire journey or project's direction. My friends, our coffeehouse and roastery embody precisely such a well-crafted start, and I am brimming with excitement to share it with our local community and the world next year!

A place to relax, connect, and enjoy some damn good coffee!  Barronett, Wisconsin – December 2023.

Wishing you and yours a Happy New Year! 

With sincere gratitude,

Sources:

• Net Energy Metering | Renewable Energy | Xcel Energy
• B Corp Certification
• Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Loans & Grants in Wisconsin | Rural Development (usda.gov)
• Q Graders (coffeeinstitute.org)
• C Market: What is Farmgate Pricing? (sustainableharvest.com)