News, Stories and more
Our Blog
View BY :
Earning Beans For Coffee Rewards
Thanksgiving Coffee Company Appreciates You We have made it simple and effective for you to get the appreciation we think you deserve. It is the “Earn Beans” reward system. Yay! These rewards will be counted as “beans” which you can redeem as discounts. The more beans you earn the greater the discount, all the way up to free products!
read more-
Harvesting the fruits of our own coffee tree
Paul Katzeff harvesting our coffee tree full of ripe coffee cherries.
It all started with some seeds that Paul smuggled back to the states from Los Piños Farm in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. You might know this farm if you’ve tried these two coffees: Byron’s Natural and Byron’s Maracaturra light roasts. It may look as though it took minimal effort for this tree to thrive indoors, but it’s quite the contrary. Paul planted the seeds, taking about two months for them to sprout. It grew to about two feet when it started suffering and needed more TLC. The amount of light it was getting downstairs was not sufficient, although the temperature was sublime, but coffee trees need exactly the right balance of light, water, temperature, and soil. Using the process of elimination, Paul discovered it couldn’t be any of those, except maybe light so he brought the tree up to the office of Greg Barrett, our director of operations where it saw new light and slowly came back to life in his care.
It generally takes about 4-5 years for a coffee tree to bear fruit, which is then harvested once a year in standard conditions. This leads to a huge issue for coffee farmers when demand rises for coffee, and they want more crops, they can’t exactly grow more on the spot. An analogy Paul used to explain this is “if you’re a carrot farmer, you just plant more carrots, but if you’re a coffee farmer, you plant and you have to wait four years.”
Today, we’re harvesting a four-year-old coffee tree right here in our TCC office. We are making sure to pull the cherries but not completely pull the nodes off. The reason for this is that next year’s cherries will grow back from the same node where it was pulled before. The coffee you buy from us is picked by hand by each farmer we partner with, and de-pulping is done by machine. All of the pulp discarded from coffee cherries can be used to make flour, wine, jam, and pie and it can even be eaten raw. Once the coffee beans are de-pulped, we’re letting them dry for a couple of days before we roast them. We’re doing this all by hand in-office to show you the process and that it can be done at home!
Stay tuned to hear about the roasting process.
Harvested coffee cherries.
Depulping the cherries.
Find out more about growing coffee trees at home:
All You Need To Know About Growing Coffee Trees in Your Home.
Office Coffee Tree Harvest
read more -
How To Build Community
Impact is measured in many ways, both direct and indirect, seen and unseen. Over the course of Thanksgiving's 50 years, the company’s impact has spanned across both the coffee growing regions of the world, and the local community of Mendocino County. Now in these years of the post Covidian era, many new challenges have arisen. Whether it is the loss of loved ones, big changes to the supply chain, personnel shifts, or the flux of coffee plants in our changing climate, yet still our company remains constant.
This 2021 report shares how Thanksgiving Coffee continues to pull together and provide the best coffee in the world, while supporting health and happiness for our community. This is the ethos of Thanksgiving’s origins. This small coastal community of Mendocino posts signs of "How to Build Community" on walls of stores and gathering places, a reminder to all citizens and tourists alike, the importance of staying truly connected. The most commonly posted sticker that travels upon the bumpers of local cars reads "Think Global, Act Local".
Thanksgiving takes its lead from the people who shop in the local grocery stores and care about where and how their coffee is grown. The people who share how their family is fairing, who’s children have grown and who is now gone, the people who care about farmers and the global food system. The news from neighbors who come by for a great cup of coffee, and the organizations who invite us to support their efforts to do good in the world. This is who Thanksgiving Coffee Company is, and this is our impact, as part of a global community imagining the best possible future there can be, for all beings, and for the whole living planet of Earth.
In this report you will find:
- A letter from our CEO – Jonah Katzeff, second generation of the founders
- Thanksgiving’s Pollinator Sanctuary Campus
- Green Bean Purchases, Certifications, and Countries of Origin
- Our Footprint, Awards and Recognition in the Specialty Coffee Industry
- Giving Back - Our Global and Local Community Health and Happiness Initiatives
Learn more on our Social
Lavender Grace is the Sustainable Ecology Advocate for Thanksgiving Coffee Company
Inaugural Impact Report 2021
read more -
Roastmaster's Select Club: Coffee from Kenya
Once a month, members of the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club have the opportunity to sample unique micro-lot coffees from around the world. “What is a micro lot,” you ask? Read up on how we source the beans and what happens when they reach our roastery.
Following the harvest cycle, Roastmaster’s Club Members have exclusive access to these one-of-a-kind coffees at their peak freshness, and now it’s your turn!
This month we're sharing coffee grown in Kenya by the Ichamama Factory and light- roasted here at Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, CA.
Ichimama Red Cherry Coffee from Kenya
Our January Roastmaster's Select is grown in one of the most renowned coffee-growing countries in the world, Kenya, and in particular, one of the most well-known regions, Nyeri County. The soil is rich in volcanic minerals setting it apart from other coffee origins and giving the coffee its unique flavor profile.
The Ichamama Factory is under the umbrella of Othaya Farmers Cooperative Society, where we order our Kenya Nyeri Peaberry, one of the 2017 Roaster of the Year award winners! Othaya is fully farmer-owned made up of over 11,000 small-scale farmers, including the Ichamama Factory, made up of about 824 farmers. When you receive this fair-trade coffee in your Roastmaster's Select Club subscription this month, you'll feel confident knowing you're supporting thousands of hard-working families in the Nyeri region of Kenya. Thank you for your support!
Altitude: 1,740 meters
Processing: Fully washed and dried on raised beds
Farmer: 824 farmers around the Ichamama Factory
Varietal: SL28 & SL34, Ruiru 11
Roastmaster's Select Club: Kenya Nyeri Othaya Ichamama
read more -
Single Origin Club: Gorilla Fund Coffee
What is a Single Origin coffee? Simply put, these coffees are defined by the place they come from.
Single Origin coffees are from a specific farm or group of farms that make up small cooperatives. You’ll find that most of our Single Origin coffees are light roasted.
This month we're sharing our Gorilla Fund coffee grown in Rwanda by the Dukunde Kawa Co-op and medium-roasted here at Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, CA.
Gorilla Fund Coffee from Rwanda
Over two thousand farms cover 10 km of curvy terrain in the hills of Rwanda - each farm is about an acre and provides homes to families who grow a collection of vegetables and of course, coffee. These farms are managed by the Dukunde Kawa Cooperative, comprised of over 80% women! This women-run cooperative is Fair Trade Certified and has won a Sustainability Award from the Specialty Coffee Association of America in 2012. We are proud to work with them.
This community of Rwandan coffee farmers—collectively known as Musasa after the area’s main town—produces one of the most elegant coffees in the world. During the harvest, the farmers bring each day’s ripe cherries to a central processing station. There, the fruit is removed and the beans are allowed to ferment before they are carefully washed and dried, revealing an exquisitely sweet Rwandan coffee with citric sparkle and deep chocolate undertones.
Altitude: 1,600-2,000 meters
Processing: Wet/Washed
Farmer: Dukunde Kawa Co-op
Varietal: Bourbon
Not ready to join the Single Origin Club? Make a one-time purchase of our Gorilla Fund Medium Roast coffee.
The First Single Origin Club of 2023!
read more -
Standing the Test of Time...
Part I. The Art
Thanksgiving Coffee has seen many changes over the past 50 years. The invention of the internet has been a big change that opened an entirely new territory where images are key to communicating with our customers, like you.
Since the first image was posted to the internet, approximately 54,400 images are now uploaded per second, or 4.7 billion per day. Thirty years later 91% of the world’s population has instantaneous access to approximately 750 billion images through their cell phones.
The “Upside-down Man” came just before the digital expansion. In the early ’90s, the North Bay artist Chris Blum was asked to make a new poster for our business. Long before the internet, Chris Blum developed his unique artistic style by devouring images from hundreds of magazines and newspapers. Chris believes “pop culture to be one of the best decoders of the cultural values of the times”.
As art director for the project Chris Blum brought in one of America’s most recognized illustrators and graphic artist Michael Schwab. Schwab’s art focuses on the interplay of positive and negative space to create strong and simple, yet always contemporary images. The resulting collaboration between Blum and Schwab is our iconic Upside - down Man, a timeless image with a message of who our company is.
Part II – The Meaning
The truth is our company is about service. We serve our customers the best coffee possible on every level of taste, and integrity. We serve coffee full of social, economic, and environmental justice for our global community. We serve coffee to support the health and happiness of our coffee farmers in their home countries. We serve coffee for the well-being of future generations through our conduct in the world and our local community. As long as Thanksgiving Coffee is in business, service will be integrated into the DNA of who we are.
Next time you see the image of our Upside-down man, we hope it serves to inspire you.
Sometimes in an upside-down world, the only thing right side up is a great cup of coffee.For more images of our story visit our social channels
History of the Upside-down Man
read more -
Roastmaster's Select Club: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe
Once a month, members of the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club have the opportunity to sample unique micro-lot coffees from around the world. “What is a micro lot,” you ask? Read up on how we source the beans and what happens when they reach our roastery.
Following the harvest cycle, Roastmaster’s Club Members have exclusive access to these one-of-a-kind coffees at their peak freshness, and now it’s your turn!
This month we're sharing coffee grown in Ethiopia by Daniel Mijane and light-roasted here at Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, CA.
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Grown by Daniel Mijane
This family-owned and run farm is located in the Gedeo zone of southern Ethiopia, a little over 2,000 meters above sea level. Situated between the hills of Halo Hartume, this humid area provides the ideal coffee-growing environment. The Mijane family is deeply involved with the local community of coffee farmers to make sure the coffee is shade-grown with proper organic composting efforts and maintaining the high quality flavors that Halo Hartume provides.
Ato Mijane Worassa was the pioneer behind his family's investment in coffee culture. Now, his sons have grown up learning his techniques, not only in coffee farming but also learning how to manage the business. To carry on his legacy, one of Ato's sons began the Halo Hartume washing station. When you receive this coffee in the mail this month, know that you're supporting a long time family effort of some of the highest quality coffee beans grown in Ethiopia.
Altitude: 1,900 - 2,100 meters
Processing: Full natural and dried on raised beds
Farmer: Daniel Mijane
Region: Banko Gotiti, Gedeb - Ethiopia
Varietals: Indigenous cultivars
Roastmaster's Select Club: Daniel Mijane
read more -
Coffee From Us ~ To You
Thanksgiving Coffee's Sales and Delivery Crew are full of knowledge handed down by our founders, (Joan and Paul Katzeff), and the valuable team their son, Jonah Katzeff CEO, has assembled to serve our community. The coffee they deliver and the coffee support they give you are built on the unique relationship with the family farms and small co-operatives that Thanksgiving has cultivated with generations of coffee farmers. This kind of connection is earned through hard work and dedication, and that is exactly what our sales and delivery team are full of. Let me introduce them to you. See if you can notice a theme. (Hint, positive co-workers).
Don Arnold - Direct Delivery Coordinator
Don has worked at Thanksgiving Coffee since 2000, longer than anyone, not naming Paul or Joan. That means 22 years and still going. He likes that there are no layoffs, unlike his old job at the local Saw Mill. He loves the free coffee every employee gets, and all the great co-workers. When he is not at work he likes to watch and play different sports, and video games, and hang out with his wife.
His favorite music to listen to is Rock and Rap. Don's favorite coffee is Ethiopia Natural and he likes to drink his coffee with a scoop of hot chocolate.
Shane Powers - Online Sales Administration
Shane started working with Thanksgiving Coffee in 2021. He loves being part of an organization that values the community, its employees and customers, and their impact on nature and humanity. He also loves the rich history of Thanksgiving Coffee's active shaping of the specialty coffee industry. When he is not at work Shane likes to spend a lot of time in nature and wading through the shallow tidal zones of the Mendocino Coast.
He has a wide range of musical likes, from 70's and 80's. He especially loves great music that defies category (Sufjan Stevens, Radiohead/Thom Yorke, Moses Sumney).
Shane has really been loving the mellow complexity of the Costa Rica – Las Lajas coffee lately. He has tried just about every method of brewing, but at home, he always preferres a simple pour-over.
Brian Potter - Direct Delivery
Brian has been working at Thanksgiving Coffee since 2020. He likes working here because of his co-workers, his schedule, and he likes to drive! When he is not at work Brian likes to hunt, fish and be outdoors, and anything that is fun. His favorite music to listen to is Rock and Country.
Brian's favorite coffee is the Upsetter. He likes to brew it in a coffee maker and takes it black most of the time.
Kelsey Price - Sales Representative
Kelsey began working with Thanksgiving in at the beginning of 2022. She likes the positive environment, and how everyone she works with is authentic, kind and caring. When she is not at work she likes to spend time at the river, in the forest, camping, fishing, laughing with friends, family game nights, going for long walks with her dog, thrifting, and enjoying life.
Kelsey likes everything when it comes to music! As for her favorite coffee, she says that "The Upsetter and Kenya Peaberry are tied for first." At home she uses a French Press or makes cold brew in a big mason jar. She goes back and forth between black or some ½ & ½.
Nathan Nies - Delivery
Nathan has been working with Thanksgiving Coffee for 10 years, however he was a serving account at The Bus Stop before that. If you add both of those together you get a grand total of 20 yrs. He likes working here because of the Mission. He says that there are few other companies that have the goals, as well as the bonafides in the industry, to say they have made the kind of positive impact on the culture, farmers and environment as Thanksgiving Coffee Company has.
When not at work he enjoys reading, roleplaying games, woodworking and the odd bit of trouble. His feels you can't go wrong with some classic psychedelic rock, electro-swing or celtic fiddles when listening to music. Nathan is a fan of our Costa Rica medium roast coffee, which he likes to brew in a pour over and drink it black.
Coffee is our medium, community resilience is our passion, and the health and happiness of our farmers is our goal.
Sales and Delivery of Thanksgiving Coffee
read more -
Roastmaster's Select Club: Pichincha Imbabura Chirimoya from Ecuador
Once a month, members of the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club have the opportunity to sample unique micro-lot coffees from around the world. “What is a micro lot,” you ask? Read up on how we source the beans and what happens when they reach our roastery.
Following the harvest cycle, Roastmaster’s Club Members have exclusive access to these one-of-a-kind coffees at their peak freshness, and now it’s your turn!
This month we're sharing coffee grown in Ecuador by Farm Crus Loma de Galo Morales and roasted here at Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, CA.
The Story Behind the Coffee Bag
Introducing this month's Roastmaster's Select coffee, picked by Roastmaster, Jacob Long, Pichincha Imbabura Chirimoya. The Cruz Loma Farm is sheltered by the subtropical climate of San José de Minas to the northwest of the province of Pichincha at a height of 1,450 meters above sea level. These conditions make it possible to obtain a variety of quality products from its land, such as soursop, corn, beans, naranjilla, orange, tangerine, and, of course, the best coffee. One of the most important motivations of coffee farmers, Galo Morales, is to positively collaborate with the community's economic development, through implementing productive practices that benefit the local population around the farm. In addition, this activity allows him to connect with his family since his wife and daughters actively collaborate in its production and marketing. Being involved in the world of coffee has allowed him to value the effort, love, and passion that a producer must dedicate to his activity in order to achieve the highest quality; also, it has allowed him to improve his relationships with people by sharing the knowledge and experience that you have acquired over the years.
Altitude: 1,500-1,800 meters
Processing: Fully washed and dried in the sun on raised beds
Farmer: Finca Cruz Loma
Varietal: Caturra, Typica
Roastmaster's Select Club: Pichincha Imbabura Chirimoya
read more -
50 Years of Business
1972-2022
Thanksgiving Coffee Company turns 50 this year. We created a video to celebrate the highlights and history of our company, which was established using our business as a force for good, with coffee as our medium. The video below offers a glimpse into the social and environmental justice built into the heart our the company and how we are working to bring health and well-being to our farmers.
"THE WAY"
The way to great coffee flavor is not direct. The path must be traveled with great care and attention. The way becomes a path, the path a road, and then, magically, the road becomes a highway that leads to people who cultivate the land from which the coffee derives its special flavor. How does one find the path? Through caring. One does not search so much for the road that leads to the tree, as for the road that leads to the heart. This is the secret.
-PAUL KATZEFF, CO-FOUNDER
Now the new generation is here to steward the regenerative business forward. Jonah Katzeff is the new CEO, while his parents Joan and Paul remain active members of the Board to guide their son for many years to come.
Our motto, and it is true as ever... Not Just A Cup, But A Just Cup.
Thanksgiving Coffee Company
50th Anniversary
1972-2022
Thanksgiving Coffee Turns 50
read more -
Thanksgiving Coffee Company Celebrates 50 Years
Thanksgiving Coffee Company turns 50 this year and we would like to celebrate our co-Founders, Joan and Paul Katzeff. They set the example for us to use our business as a force for good, with coffee as our medium. They instilled social and environmental justice as our passion and the health and well-being of our farmers as our goal.
Joan and Paul have led the specialty coffee industry toward equality and justice. For five decades they have spearheaded ethical sourcing directly from small-scale farmer cooperatives, building the first independent farmer-owned cupping labs and inspiring the first Fair Trade model.
Working shoulder to shoulder with the farmers, Thanksgiving Coffee has developed one of the most valuable supply chains in coffee today. At the core, our company is built on the interconnectedness of coffee farmers, the coffee they produce, and the health and well-being of our shared environment.
“A coffee farmer will love their trees when they provide food, shelter, education, and health care for their family. When a farmer loves their trees, they will care for them in a way that produces fine quality and flavor. Great coffee derives from the welfare of the farmer and their family. It is true for all farmers who work the land, including our local farmers.”
– Paul Katzeff, Co-Founder
Now Thanksgiving Coffee is being led by Joan and Paul's son, Jonah Katzeff, who has literally been part of this company his entire life. With a solid foundation to build upon, we now look to the next 50 years with a sense of excitement and purpose. Our motto, and it is true as ever... Not Just A Cup, But A Just Cup.
Thank you, Joan and Paul!
Thanksgiving Coffee Company
50th Anniversary
1972-2022
50 years... One Bean at a Time
read more -
Our team that gets the coffee to you
The arms and legs of the company are found in our Production Team as they move smoothly between the freshly roasted beans, to the final customer packages. This zone is buzzing with movement from the fresh batch of beans rushing down the gravity feed shoot to a new coffee barrel. The Production crew mixes the different roasts and portions carefully to produce the great flavorful blends. When needed, they take the whole beans and grind them to the right specifications to be brewed to their highest potential. The crew then takes all this tasty roasted coffee, box it up, and ship it out to you, our customers. Here they are.
Palmer Evans – Production Supervisor
Palmer Evans has been with Thanksgiving Coffee Company for seven years. He enjoys the people he works with and likes what the company stands for. When he is not at work he does what his kids want to do… Play video games, spend time with family and their dogs.
Palmer enjoys rock music, but he can listen to just about everything except bag pipes…. “Never could get into those”, he says. His favorite Coffee is Kenya Peaberry, however, he does like mixing Kenya Peaberry and the Ethiopian Gedeb together 50/50. “Its SUPER fruity”. He likes to brew his coffee using a French Press.
Celia Garrido - Shipping
Celia Garrido has worked with the company for over 21 years. This position has been a huge part of her life. She has worked here for so long that she watched her kids grow up and the company grow at the same time. It has been a fun and interesting job in her eyes. She likes to be here because she finds the environment positive, interesting, and she likes making our customers happy.
When Celia is not working, she likes to be home and care for her grandbaby, as nothing else compares to her Christina. She likes to relax, doesn’t really like to cook too much anymore, mostly it is all about her grandchild.
Her favorite music is romance and Cumbia, and her favorite bands are Panco Barraza and Julio Jaramillo.
Celia’s favorite coffee is Byron’s wash from Nicaragua and her second favorite is the FairTrade Beaujolais blend. She brews it in a drip coffee maker at home and likes to add a chocolate creamer or just milk.
(No Photo Requested)
Sonia Sosa - Production
Sonia Sosa has been with the company for two years. She likes the location of the company in town and appreciates the kind people that she works with.
When Sonia is not working, she likes to take walks, to rest, and watch TV. Her favorite music is Mexican Reggaeton. She also likes Karol G - Provenza. Sonia’s favorite coffee is Mocha Java and brews it on a drip coffee maker. She takes her coffee with milk.
Jerret Mitts – Shipping
Jerret recently joined our production crew in shipping and has been a wonderful asset to our team.
Here are the coffees our production crew like, want to try one?
Beaujolais Blend - Medium Roast
Kenya - Nyeri Peaberry
Mocha Java - Medium Roast
Production Crew of Thanksgiving Coffee Company
read more -
Roastmaster's Select Club: COCASAM Coffee from Honduras
Once a month, members of the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club have the opportunity to sample unique micro-lot coffees from around the world. “What is a micro lot,” you ask? Read up on how we source the beans and what happens when they reach our roastery.
Following the harvest cycle, Roastmaster’s Club Members have exclusive access to these one-of-a-kind coffees at their peak freshness, and now it’s your turn!
This month we're sharing coffee grown in Honduras by COCASAM Cooperative and roasted here at Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, CA.
COCASAM: Coffee from Honduras
Founded in 1988, COCASAM Cooperative resides on Botija ridge, a mountainous area in the Municipality of San Marcos de Colón. This cooperative produces excellent coffee with quality over quantity in mind. In fact, they have a small section of farm land within a sacred pine forest and are not capable of expanding due to its protection as a reserve. This leads them to focus on the quality of the coffee and to improve their technique rather than producing more each year.
With the importance of preserving the planet in mind, COCASAM relies on traditional methods of production that were first introduced in the coffee world in the early 1800s - and, ALL of the coffee is shade-grown and sun-dried. Not only that, but when you receive this coffee, you'll feel accomplished in knowing that you're helping to provide comfortable living conditions for each farmer in this cooperative and their families for generations to come.
Altitude: 1,200-1,600 meters
Processing: Wet/Washed
Farmer: COCASAM Co-op
Varietal: Caturra, Pacamara, Bourbon
Our Roastmaster's Select, Picked Just for You!
read more -
Single Origin Club: Canto de Bolivar
What is a Single Origin coffee? Simply put, these coffees are defined by the place they come from.
Single Origin coffees are from a specific farm or group of farms that make up small cooperatives. You’ll find that most of our Single Origin coffees are light roasted.
This month we're sharing our Canto de Bolivar coffee grown in Bolivia by the ASOCAFE Cooperative and light-roasted here at Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, CA.
About the Farm
The Caranavi province is the heart of coffee production in Bolivia, surrounded by rivers that flow from glaciers 4,000 meters above carve deep valleys and create an ideal landscape for the cultivation of exquisite coffee. The farmers of ASOCAFE grow prized varietals on their small farms and transport their carefully hand-picked coffee to central processing stations, where, under the watchful eye of the cooperative’s staff, the ripe cherries are depulped, fermented, washed, and sun-dried.
Perched atop fertile mountain ridges in the foothills east of the Andes, 300 farming families produce one of Bolivia's sweetest coffees under the shade of lush jungle canopy. These farmers are members of ASOCAFE, a cooperative founded in 1990 in an effort to improve the quality of the area's coffee and, consequently, price and income for farmers, leading to a better quality of life.
Altitude: 1,800 meters
Processing: Wet/washed
Farmer: ASOCAFE Cooperative
Varietal: Typica/Caturra/Catui
Not ready to join the Single Origin Club? Make a one-time purchase of our Canto de Bolivar light roast coffee.
The Story Behind Canto de Bolivar
read more -
Reflections of Mendocino Film Festival 2022
The Mendocino Film Festival (MFF) began in 2006, and Thanksgiving Coffee Company has been a steady supporter since the beginning. This 2022 season an innovative program called "Native Cinema: Vision the Future" was lanched. This was created and produced by the Bee Bold Alliance (a project from Thanksgiving Coffee) to help tell the story of Mendocino’s regenerative renaissance.
The overwhelming positive response of the Native Cinema program demonstrated an earnest interest in the Native experience. It was screened to a sold out audience at Crown Hall in Mendocino, CA. and featured many wonderful Native Filmmakers and several remarkable local Native Leaders.
The tone of the evening was set by local coastal Pomo activist and cultural revitalizer Bernadette Smith. With her moving ancestral songs for the land, Smith gave respect and honor to her heritage and for those in the audience, the cultural experince of the original peoples of Mendocino, CA. Priscilla Hunter from the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo joined Smith in this acknowledgment with her prayers and helped amplify the intention for the evening of Native Films to come. (image: Bernadette Smith on left, Priscilla Hunter on right)
Strengthen our connection through Indigenous Storytelling
Part I
The Cinema portion began with the film Chasing Voices (a “Pat’s Pick”) documentary about Ethnographer John Peabody Harrington who spent 50 years recording and documenting over 150 different, dying Native American languages. This film has been included in Rhode Island International FF, Montana Int FF, Mother Tongues FF, and the Smithsonian Institution in Feb 2022. (image: Pat Ferrero left, Daniel Golding right)
Director/Producer Daniel Golding is an award-winning Native filmmaker with a degree in Cinema and American Indian Studies from SF State University. He has been making award-winning documentaries for the past twenty years and teaches digital filmmaking workshops to at-risk tribal youth through his Hokan Media Digital Filmmaking Academy.
After viewing this unique and intriguing film, the audience engaged in a Q&A led by Pat Ferrero with director Daniel Golding. Listen to more behind the making of Chasing Voices at Forthright Radio here.
Part II
Nathaniel Golding hopes audiences will take away how a positive outlet will lead to positive things.
Part II of the Native Cinema program featured AWAKEN, a short film about the issues young people face on the Fort Yuma Reservation in Southern California. The first-time filmmaker Nathaniel Golding (an enrolled member of the Quechan tribe) tells the story of cousins Orlando and Kieran whose love for metal music has not deterred them from learning their traditional songs and dances. Nathaniel was the youngest film crew member. He is learning the Quechan language and songs and was inspired to make this film by his father, producer Daniel Golding.
(Image: Awaken filmmaker Nathaniel Golding)
The second film Forest Grandmothers explores the activism of Priscilla Hunter (Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians) and Polly Girvin (Indigenous Rights Lawyer). For the past 40 years, they have tirelessly worked to preserve the forests and educate others about the cultural significance of biodiversity for Native People and the wellbeing of the planet.
(Image: Forest Grandmothers filmmaker Henry Thomas, center)
This unique film project was directed by first-time filmmaker Henry Thomas who led the Bee RYL Production Crew, a multicultural and multi-generational mentorship for youth to sustain local art and culture through film. Henry Thomas is a young aspiring filmmaker combining digital video with analog photography.
The Bee RYL Crew for 2021-22: Ronan Williams, Keiran Miller, Kyla Marchello, Josephine Steinbeck, and camera support from Amy Heckeroth.
*Bee RYL Productions is a pilot project of the Bee Bold Alliance led by Lavender Grace Cinnamon and sponsored by Thanksgiving Coffee Company in partnership with Hope4Natives, Mendocino Film Festival, and MHS Media Lab.
Bernadette Smith opened the third film Chishkale: Blessing of the Acorn, with a beautiful spoken word in her native Kashia language in honor of the Acorn. This dance film with Bernadette was created to honor Tan Oak conservation efforts and the sacred, traditional food of California Natives. Bernadette dedicates her life to the restoration and revitalization of the Chichkale, (the Kashia word for the Tan Oak) with the use of contemporary dance and music she breathes new life into her beautiful Pomo language and culture. (Image:Bernadette Smith, Coastal Pomo)
Chishkale filmmaker Linda Mai Green likes to tell stories of previously overlooked people. Green's films are for audiences who, like her, hunger to see an inclusive, multicultural world where they are reflected in all their complexity and nuance. Drawing on her biracial Vietnamese identity and her background in art history and literature, she is currently developing films that focus on the immigrant cultures and turbulent history of her home state of California.
(Image:Chishkale filmmaker Linda Mai Green)
The fourth and final film of the evening was Pomo Land Back: A Prayer from the Forest by filmmakers Evan-Marie Petit & Louis Fox. Hailing from the red earth of her ancestors, visual storyteller Petite is from the Eastern Cherokee.This film aims to honor the vital movement towards indigenous-led stewardship and rematriation of California forest lands. Created in collaboration with the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Pomo Land Back is a visceral poetic document of an alliance-building, inter-tribal gathering that took place in February 2022. The Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians calls for protection and co-management of the 48,652-acre Jackson Demonstration State Forest.
(Image:Pomo Land Back filmmaker Evan-Marie Petite)
A Q&A panel comprised of all the Filmmakers was hosted by Hawaiian Kanaka U'ilani Wesley along with local artist and Sustainable Ecology Advocate, Lavender Grace Cinnamon.
(Image: Lower level left to right Bernadette Smith, Linda Mai Green, Lavender Grace Cinnamon, U'ilani Wesley. Top left to right Henry Thomas, Evan-Marie Petite, Nathaniel Golding, Daniel Golding)
The evening closed with two honored local Tribal Leaders Chairmen Michael Hunter and Tribal Chairwoman Priscilla Hunter. Together they addressed the audience with a unique depth and humor all their own. They shared their vision to preserve the local forests and create a clean safe environment for future generations to come. Dynamic in vision and in action, the inspiring Chairman and Chairwoman Hunter actively work for the well-being of the planet and fortunate Mendocino is their home.
Thanksgiving Coffee Company is a proud sponsor of the Native Cinema event. It felt like a step in the right direction to strengthen our communities resilience. The evening created an opportunity to learn and gather some tools to use during these turbulent times. With positive outlets, we can be community-minded and learn how to grow through our shared experiences. Ultimately we are all in this together, let's tell a good story.
(Image: Tribal Chairman Michael Hunter left, Tribal Chairwoman Priscilla Hunter right)
This event was a collaboration with The Bee Bold Alliance, in partnership with Hope4natives and The Mendocino Film Festival and made possible by the sponsorship of Thanksgiving Coffee Company.
Resources:
Sinkyone Intertribal Wilderness Council
*Bee RYL Productions Pilot Project appreciates the generous donations from Sweetwater Inn and Spa, Fortunate Farms, Cafe Beaujolais, Corners of the Mouth, Princess Seafood, and Simone’s Kitchen
Get Involved
If you are interested in learning how to get involved, please reach out. We are most resilient when we honor our diversity and create creative solutions together.
Our Bee Bold Coffee supports biodiversity and Earth renewal with your daily cup of coffee. The Bee Bold Campaign offers a steady funding source for Conservation Works, training youth to support native bees and pollinators with the restoration and preservation of habitats to sustain a resilient ecosystem.
Follow Thanksgiving Coffee Companies Growing Stories.
We use coffee as our medium to do good in the world.
Night Of Native Cinema
read more -
How to Make Velvety, Naturally-Sweet Milk
Milk becomes naturally-sweet when heated to the ideal, not-too-hot, temperature. (Ever get warm milk before bed as a child... or even as an adult?). It quickly becomes scalded-tasting at too high a temperature. For this reason, it is imperative that the milk steamed for espresso drinks not be over-heated.
Excellent steamed milk vs. sloppy
Step 1: Use cold milk
For best results, use very cold milk and a very cold pitcher. Some baristas leave the pitchers in the refrigerator.
Step 2: Use the proper amount of milk
Pour only as much milk as you will need for a single drink into the pitcher (slightly more than 1/2 of the volume of the cup used). You should be selecting your pitcher based upon the drink you plan to make - a 12 oz pitcher filled to a bit below the base of the pour spout for a cappuccino and a 20 oz pitcher filled to that spot for a latte.
Step 3: Position the pitcher
Position the pitcher parallel to the steam wand and put the wand into the milk so that the end of the wand is just submerged. Hold the pitcher with your non-dominant hand, with the weight of the pitcher held in your hand and with one finger touching the bottom and use the other to operate the steam knob and to gauge the temperature of the milk.
Step 4: Steaming, part one
Turn steam knob so that the steam is on full blast and stretch the milk for only a few seconds, allowing bubbles to form on the surface. Do this for a bit longer if making a cappuccino, for more foam. You should finish stretching the milk before it becomes warm to the touch, to ensure the smoothest, most fine foam.
Step 5: Steaming, part two
Turn the pitcher so that it is parallel to the floor, roughly perpendicular now to the steam wand, as you allow the steam wand to bury further into the milk (about one inch). The milk should begin circulating around smoothly in the pitcher, swirling from top to bottom like a convection current. Do this until the milk is just hot enough that you want to remove your hand from the side of the pitcher, then turn off the steamer and set milk on counter (remember to wipe the steam wand with a damp rag).
Step 6: Polish the milk
Polish the milk by swirling it a few times to make sure all foam is integrated and smooth. It will actually become shiny on top with this action. Tap the pitcher on the counter if any large bubbles remain. The milk should be shiny and smooth, with no visible bubbles, only tiny, frothy ones. It should taste creamy and be warm on the tongue, but not scalding – the right temperature to consume immediately at peak sweetness.
Step 7: Rinse pitcher
Rinse pitcher thoroughly and return it to a cool place.
Integrating your milk with your espresso:
- Pour your desired amount of milk into the pitcher, and leave on the counter while you...
- ...follow Steps to Pull an Excellent Espresso
- As soon as you have pressed the button to start your espresso shot, begin steaming the milk. Milk should take about 20 seconds, espresso about 23-30.
- Follow all steps to velvety, naturally-sweet milk.
- As soon as your espresso is done, begin pouring milk into it. This should be done by tipping the cup so that the milk can pour slowly down the side, again making a convection-like current in the cup. When you have about 1” of room left, bring the pitcher tip close to the drink surface (which may require tilting the cup) while continuing to pour and tip the pitcher at a steep angle toward it, jiggling your wrist so that the foam piles onto the drink. No scooping with a spoon should be necessary.
Shop our best-selling espresso roasts!
Like us on Facebook and follow along on Instagram and Twitter for frequent updates, promotions, giveaways and more!
How to Make Perfect Steamed Milk
read more -
Roastmaster's Select Club: Timor-Leste
Once a month, members of the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club have the opportunity to sample unique micro-lot coffees from around the world. “What is a micro lot,” you ask? Read up on how we source the beans and what happens when they reach our roastery.
Following the harvest cycle, Roastmaster’s Club Members have exclusive access to these one-of-a-kind coffees at their peak freshness, and now it’s your turn!
This month we're sharing our Timor-Leste coffee grown in Indonesia by the Café Brisa Serena Association and roasted here at Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, CA.
Timor-Leste: coffee from Indonesia
This special selection for our August Roastmaster's Select Club is grown by Café Brisa Serena in Indonesia, made up of 33 groups and a total of 404 coffee farmers. They're driven to improve the life of their farmers, families and especially children.
Café Brisa Serena's mission statement is to improve the quality of life of coffee farmers in Timor-Leste, especially in Letefoho. CBS support high quality coffee production and deliver the coffee to domestic and International markets.
“We are able to use income from our coffee to purchase food, build our house, send our children to school and repay our loan.” – Teresa Maia, coffee farmer
Altitude: 1.780 meters
Processing: Washed, dried on raised beds
Co-op: Café Brisa Serena
Region: Ducurai, Letefobo, Ermera, Timor-Leste
Roastmaster's Select Club: Timor-Leste
read more -
The Next Generation Is Here
Persistently bold in their visionary approach to coffee, the founders of Thanksgiving Coffee, Joan and Paul Katzeff, led an industry toward equality and justice. Their leadership established ethical sourcing directly from small-scale farmer cooperatives which in turn inspired the first Fair Trade model. The company is built on the interconnectedness of coffee farmers, the coffee they produce, and the health and wellbeing of our shared environment.
For 50 years, Thanksgiving Coffee Company has chosen to actively use coffee as our force for good for the planet. Our leadership inspires this goodness to ripple out to all the people we work with. Our relationship with coffee is what gives the company the perseverance and fortitude to stay in business through all of life’s challenges, and it is literally what gets us up in the morning, no really!
The next generation of Thanksgiving Coffee Company’s leaders are here. Stepping into the role of CEO, the founders’ son, Jonah Katzeff, helps guide us with his lifetime of coffee knowledge.
Together we continue to work with coffee as our medium, community resilience as our passion, and the health and happiness of our farmers as our goal. “Not Just A Cup, But A Just Cup” is our motto, and it is as true as ever. A new generation with a regenerative vision, I invite you to meet our leadership team.
Jonah Katzeff - CEO
Jonah has worked at the company for the last 9 years. However, since it’s a family business, he has worked at the Company on and off for most of his adult life. Jonah enjoys the challenge of running a small business as it keeps him on his toes! He works with a lot of great people who genuinely care about the company and our customers. He likes how we produce a quality product that impacts a lot of people in positive ways all over the world. This is a good feeling. There is always more to learn in the world of coffee, and in business. Jonah enjoys this process and is grateful for the opportunity to lead Thanksgiving Coffee in its next phase
A few of his favorite musical artists are Zhu, The Polish Ambassador, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Rufus Du Sol, Sofi Tukker, Modest Mouse, and Leon Bridges.
He generally drinks light to medium roast blends. A few of his go-to coffees are FTO Mocha Java, Paul’s Blend, and FTO Beaujolais. He loves our Kenya, Ethiopia Gedeb, and Panama Geisha single origins for special occasions. During the week he drinks coffee from our staff’s coffee brewer in the tasting room, and occasionally enjoys making a cappuccino. On the weekends he makes pour-over at home. Most often he drinks coffee black but isn’t above a bit of milk or half + half in his coffee.
Jacob Long - Director of Coffee
Raised in Fort Bragg, Jacob has worked at Thanksgiving since June of 2007. First and foremost he is enthusiastic about all aspects of coffee, from how it is grown and processed, to how it’s roasted and brewed. He is also excited by having the ability to work with one of the finest coffees in the word, and maintain the quality of the coffee at a company that is 50 years old and has a reputation for quality. In his spare time he likes to forage for wild mushrooms, fish, spend time with his family, and stay busy. His favorite music is reggae, punk, and a little bit of everything else. Old style reggae, rock steady reggae is what he likes the most.
Jacob takes his coffee black. He likes to brew it with a full immersion process either with a Soft Brew or a French Press. He prefers light roasts from Ethiopia, the favorite is a wet processed Ethiopian coffee from the Yirgacheffe region.
Joe Seta - Sales and Marketing Manager
Joe joined us as Sales & Marketing Manager in 2022, but this is his second time around with Thanksgiving Coffee. He was the Manager of the Mendocino Bakery for 3 years, which Thanksgiving owned and operated (from 2009-2012). He is passionate about our products. He was a customer for years prior to becoming an employee, especially via our blend for through KOZT - The Coast FM, "The Roast from the Coast". Without coffee, radio shows aren't nearly as interesting. :)
Joe is a former professional recording engineer and producer for artists including Rickie Lee Jones, Dwight Yoakam and K. D. Lang. He has a broad appreciation for many styles of music. He likes classical performers like Leonard Bernstein, rock artists from Steely Dan through Rage Against the Machine, and many more.
His current favorite is the Panama Gesha with its brilliant high fruity notes, soft but balanced acidity with a firm low end for a light roast. The primary brewing method he uses at home is the French press (and an antique grinder!), but he also has a decent home-level espresso maker with a steaming wand.
Jennifer Brown- Office Manager
Jennifer Brown came to Thanksgiving Coffee about two months ago and is one of our newest employees. She has joined us as our office manager and helps with accounts payable and receivable. She likes that Thanksgiving is a company with purpose and makes the world a better place, one cup at a time.
When Jennifer is not working with us, she likes to read, write, cook, and spend time with her children. Her favorite music is from movie scores. Jennifer's favorite coffee is anything made by Thanksgiving Coffee Company and she likes it strong with a good flavored creamer.
Coffee as our medium, community resilience as our passion, and the health and happiness of our farmers as our goal.
Leadership of Thanksgiving Coffee Company
read more -
Salmon BBQ 2022
It may seem like a contradiction in terms… Eating salmon to support Salmon Restoration, but the Salmon Trollers Association has been doing great work with this event for years. I’ve had the good fortune of participating in several different ways to support this event since I moved up here more than 20 years ago, but this year I think was the most fun, and I’ll tell you why.
Generous people, voting with their dollars to support a cause that has delicious implications.
This event is one of the largest events in Fort Bragg every year, often with a total of attendance of 3000 guests or more. Most of the folks who attend are tourists and most of the locals who attend are actually working on the periphery to make sure all these guests have a memorable experience. From the ticket takers, to the corn shuckers, to the salad spinners, to the garlic bread team with their bread mops soaked with that delicious stinking rose butter, and finally to the dignitaries wearing their best bright yellow rain gear, grilling up salmon to the delight of the masses.
(Image: Paul Katzeff on left, Joe Seta on Right)
So at the end of that buffet line you find musical entertainment, the ice cream from our local legendary Cowlicks ice cream parlor, fine craft beer from North Coast Brewing Company (also a certified B Corp.) and Thanksgiving Coffee. We had cold brew, three different hot brews and the ability for the first time to sell bags of coffee.
(Image: Crowed at the Worlds Largest Salmon BBQ, Fort bragg, CA)
The morning starts with coffee for the volunteers, who are all extremely appreciative. Then, at about 11 AM… The line forms. That line doesn’t stop until 6 PM. For the next seven hours, Paul and I look like a pair of octopus pals, each with eight arms going in every direction, telling stories while serving and explaining the difference between light roasts, dark roasts and cold brew. We live for that kind of connection to our audience.
Luckily, in the early afternoon, Jonah and Joan Katzeff arrived to give us a break, and allow us to feast like all the other salmon supporters. Wading out into the sea of picnic tables, all made by aspiring craftsman from Parlin Forks Conservation Camp, it’s inspiring to see the instant community that gets established, just by sitting next to someone from another place, from another experience, and all gathered together for the support of the salmon.
Back to it after the break, the audience primarily switched from hot brew to cold brew as the sun starts to reclaim its rightful position overhead instead of the often-present marine layer of clouds. Did I tell you that we were giving all this coffee away? Well, the coffee was ‘free’ in exchange for a donation, in any amount, to Salmon Restoration. When we took an average at the end of the day people were donating about six bucks per cup of coffee… Generous people, voting with their dollars to support a cause that has delicious implications. (Image: Momma Grows Funk Band with crowd at Worlds Largest Salmon BBQ, Fort Bragg, CA)
Below are the coffees that were served at the Salmon BBQ for you to enjoy at home.
If you want to see more of our work and follow along click our social links below.
Salmon BBQ Event 2022
read more -
Celebrating 45 Years with Down Home Foods!
We’ve been in the coffee biz for a long time now and it’s time to pay homage to those who have been with us since the very beginning of it all. As you may or may not know, Thanksgiving Coffee was founded in 1972 by Paul and Joan Katzeff – you can read our full story here (it’s really quite interesting) and Down Home Foods has been around for quite awhile as well! Here’s to Down Home Foods! Thank you for offering Thanksgiving Coffee to your customers for over 45 years!
Down Home Foods is a small family-owned market in Fort Bragg offering fresh meals from sandwiches to samosas to baked goods, a juice bar - you'll want to try the Down Home Blend for sure - locally-sourced breads, deli-sliced meats and cheeses, handmade merchandise, organic beauty and hygeine products, bulk pantry items, snacks and so much more. Honestly, I could spend hours in Down Home Foods. AND, if they don't have something you're looking for, they can often order what you need to arrive at the shop. We're so lucky to have Down Home Foods here on the Mendocino Coast.
115 S. Franklin St., Fort Bragg, CA
Try one of our June featured coffees!
20% off this month only.
Like us on Facebook and follow along on Instagram for frequent updates, promotions, giveaways and more!
Celebrating 45 Years: Down Home Foods & Thanksgiving Coffee
read more -
How to Select Your Perfect Roast
Roast color determines 80% of a coffee's flavor.
Like a piece of bread, raw coffee is mostly carbohydrates like starches and oils, although there are over 1600 chemical compounds in a single coffee bean. When a slice of bread is toasted, it browns until it burns. Toasted light, you can taste the wheat. Toasted until burnt or very dark, you taste only the charred remains. So it is with our coffee bean (seed). The flavor changes with the degree of roast. A light roast Colombian tastes more like a light roast Nicaraguan than like a medium roast Colombian coffee.
Roast color is a function of temperature and time. Relatively speaking, artisan roasters use variations of these controllable factors to create flavor. Roasting is a craft much like pottery is. Two potters using the same clay, the same glazes, and the same shapes will have different outcomes. Temperature + time in the kiln will determine what the craftsman’s effort will produce. So it is with coffee. Generally, the coffee begins to roast at 405°F when the starches can get no hotter and they break down into simple sugars that carmelize at about 420°F. That is when the light roast is pulled or dumped. It can take from 8-14 minutes to get to a light roast color.
Between 420° and 475°F the color darkens until nothing is left to taste except burned plant matter!
Light Roast - nuanced, bright, lively
In the lighter roasts (both light and medium), you can taste the nuance and impact of terroir. If you’re a single origin lover, these coffees are your go-to. With a light roast especially, the specific qualities unique to the coffee’s origin stand out. If you’re sticking with Vienna and French roasts (the darker beans), you have to work harder to tell the differences between origins. With light, it’s all there in the first sip.
For those of you that cup your coffee and take the time to taste every flavor, the lights and mediums are probably the roasts for you. When purchasing a single origin coffee, the great ones are best at this roast color.
Medium Roast - nutty, spicy, balanced, fruity
Roasted about 20 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the light, the color on a medium roast coffee bean shifts into a chocolate brown. As you move from the light roast to the medium, the bright and lively acidity morphs into a smoother, deeper, and more balanced mouth feel. In every sip of a medium roast, you’ll find that a certain mellowness and maturity prevails.
Dark Roast - bold, spicy, chocolaty
The coffee bean color on our dark roast (sometimes called the Vienna roast) is still more brown than black. You could compare it to the color of baker’s chocolate. When this coffee is freshly roasted, the beans will have a shiny coat of coffee oils on their surface. The greatest dark roast coffees will have hints of carbonization, but shouldn’t be described as smoky or toasty — we’ll leave those descriptors to the very dark roast.
Very Dark Roast - toasty, smoky, carmelized sugars
Ah, the “French Roast.” This is the coffee that goes great with a splash of milk. The coffee bean color on our very dark roast is more black than brown, with rich and copious levels of surface oil. Roasted long and hot to produce deep carbony, smoky flavor notes. A well-made French roast will have caramelized sugar notes, licorice and roasted chestnut flavors, and a long wet (not ashy) finish.
Like us on Facebook and follow along on Instagram for frequent updates, promotions, giveaways and more!
How to Select Your Perfect Roast
read more -
Single Origin Club: Las Lajas from Costa Rica
What is a Single Origin coffee? Simply put, these coffees are defined by the place they come from.
Single Origin coffees are from a specific farm or group of farms that make up small cooperatives. You’ll find that most of our Single Origin coffees are light roasted.
This month we're sharing our Costa Rican coffee grown and honey processed by Beneficio Las Lajas in Central Costa Rica and medium-roasted here at Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, CA.
Las Lajas Coffee from Costa Rica
This family owned farm is located in Central Costa Rica, at about 1,300 meter altitude. Las Lajas was born in 1936 by the Chacón family and has been in the hard-working hands of husband and wife team, Francisca and Oscar Chacón, since the early nineties.
The Las Lajas mill is well known for their unique and exotic honey and natural process coffees and their passion for coffee is evident in the care and expertise they impart in every lot of their organic coffee. The "honey process" doesn't involve actual honey from bees, but rather leaves a bit of the sticky, sweet inner part of the coffee fruit on the bean, and that subtle, fruity sweetness is revealed with the right roast.
Altitude: 1,300-1,600 Meters
Processing: Honey Processed
Farmer: Beneficio Las Lajas
Varietal: Caturra - Catuaí
Not ready to join the Single Origin Club? Make a one-time purchase of our Las Lajas Costa Rican coffee.
June Single Origin Club: Las Lajas
read more -
Protect Our Elephants
Mara Elephant Project (MEP, est. 2011) protects elephants and their habitats across the Greater Mara Ecosystem in Kenya, one of the last wildlife refuges on Earth. When poaching emerged as a threat, MEP and Kenya Wildlife Service took action to successfully combat it. Today, the drastic expansion of the human footprint is causing habitat loss and conflict. Our Maasai male and female rangers are working to build a better future for their families by protecting elephants and their habitats for generations to come.
Protect Our Elephants Coffee supports the conservation of precious wildlife and habitats in Kenya.
$1.50 per 12 oz bag and $5.00 per 5-pound bag are donated to the Mara Elephant Project. Learn more about Mara Elephant Project at www.maraelephantproject.org
.
I had an elephant friend when I was 10 years old. She lived at the Bronx Zoo and growing up, I lived five minutes from the Zoo. I got to know her by visiting once a week until I went off to college eight years later. On my early visits I noticed an elephant food dispenser near her outside enclosure and for five cents people could buy these little pellets of elephant food that came in 2-ounce packets. A person would empty the contents into their palm and offer them up to the nearest elephant who would extend their trunk to your palm and suck them up and then blow them into their mouth. I just couldn't spend a nickel on 2 ounces of smelly pellets when I could get two pretzels at the candy store on my way to the Zoo, but I could stop at my uncle’s fruit and vegetable store, which was on the way, and get a free bag of overripe bananas, rubbery carrots and a pound of fresh roasted peanuts which she loved and ate shells and all.
I visited with her until I went off to college after spending a long day saying goodbye. As I was about to leave, it was beginning to get close to closing time, the Zookeepers came out and asked me if I wanted to give Helen a hug. They took me into the enclosure and encouraged me to approach Helen and to talk to her while I moved forward toward her. She lumbered over to me and I touched her flank. I had only touched her trunk up to that time. I put the side of my face up against her rear flank. She was warm and her skin was tough. I was 18 , they told me she was 36.
After a short while her “keepers” signaled it was time to go. I know I was at a loss for words, How do you say goodbye to an Elephant? Turning my back I began to walk toward the enclosure's door when I was stopped by the full weight of Helen’s trunk on my shoulder and wrapped slightly around my neck. I stopped in my tracks. “Don’t be afraid” the keeper said ,”she is saying goodbye”. I turned around to find her big dark eyes looking right into me and I know I cried in that moment and all the way home. When I came home from College 4 years later she was gone.
Helen introduced me to the other side and showed me how it is not only possible to share emotions with another species, but that it is essential to find a way to do so. That teaching instructed and served me until this day and I am so happy to be telling you that story as we embark on our joint venture to use coffee to raise funds for The Mara Elephant Project. It means alot to me to join The Elephants again.- Paul Katzeff, Founder of Thanksgiving Coffee Company
Our New Cause Coffee Helps Protect Elephants
read more -
Roasters of Thanksgiving Coffee Company
In the heart of our company, keeping everything going, is our Roasting Crew. Their tasks are to transform the green beans we gather from the finest coffee farms and coops in the world, and turn them into the remarkable coffee that you brew into your cup, and they do this every day! The process is a living breathing commitment to every batch of beans as they turn in the barrel of the roaster. With over 1600 chemical compounds in a single coffee bean, artisan roasters use variations of temperature and time to create the unique flavor and find the perfect roast color to determine the flavor of the coffee. I invite you to meet the roasters of Thanksgiving Coffee Company.
Resulting Awards from our Roastmaster and Crew:
2019 Good Food Award
2017 Macro Roaster of the Year
Award Winning Coffees
Jacob Long - Roastmaster
Raised in Fort Bragg, Jacob has worked at Thanksgiving since June of 2007. First and foremost he is enthusiastic about all aspects of coffee, from how it is grown and processed, to how it’s roasted and brewed. He is also excited by having the ability to work with one of the finest coffees in the word, and maintain the quality of the coffee at a company that is 50 years old and has a reputation for quality. In his spare time he likes to forage for wild mushrooms, fish, spend time with his family, and stay busy. His favorite music is reggae, punk, and a little bit of everything else. Old style reggae, rock steady reggae is what he likes the most.
Jacob takes his coffee black. He likes to brew it with a full immersion process either with a Soft Brew or a French Press. He prefers light roasts from Ethiopia, the favorite is a wet processed Ethiopian coffee from the Yirgacheffe region.
Jon Baumeister- Roaster
Jon was also raised here in Fort Bragg and has worked with Thanksgiving Coffee Company for 17 years. What keeps him here is the coffee, and roasting the coffee. He likes the beauty of the coffee beans and how you never roast the same way twice. “There are different light roast, medium roast, dark roasts, so you’re always working at a set point and different coffees take a different temperature to get to the set point,” says Jon. He likes the challenge and how you really have to be focused on each variety of coffee, and what it needs in the roasting process. He also likes the people who work here and finds the owners, Paul and Joan, are very fair to their workers. When he’s not at work, Jon likes to garden and spend time outdoors. His favorite music is Rock and Roll, Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival along with old groups from 60’s-70’s, 80’s Rock and Roll, and some Country.
Jon’s favorite coffee is Upsetter. He likes light roast coffees, especially SongBird Guatemalan, and Rwanda. Jon takes his coffee with milk or cream and is happy with a drip brew.
Steve Channel - Roaster Maintenance
Steve is a local of Fort Bragg, CA and has been with the Company for 10 years now. He say’s, “I just love the place” His father helped to start the company back in the early 1970’s. He used to work in the lumber industry and once that went South ad closed, Paul (Katzeff) offered him a job.
Steve likes to work with wood, and read in his spare time. His favorite music is “Solid Gold” from the 70’s and 60’s Rock and Roll.
Steve’s favorite coffee is a blend of Rwanda and Gedeb. He drinks it black and likes to brew it using a French Press.
Josh Long - Roaster
Josh was raised in Fort Bragg and has been a roaster with Thanksgiving since 2015. He likes to pick mushrooms and fish when he is not in the roasting room. He likes all kinds of music, but if he had to listen to one for the rest of his life it would be classic rock. He is motivated to work hard and maintain a good quality of life. He appreciates Joan and Paul for creating such a good place to work.
Josh takes his coffee black and likes to brew it “cowboy style.” He puts the ground coffee in a bowl, pours the boiling hot water in, lets it steep and pours the brewed coffee off the top. No filter, no fancy pot. His favorite coffee is a washed Ethiopian, Gedeb.
Roasters of Thanksgiving Coffee Company
read more -
4 of Our Best-Selling Organic Coffees
Our organically grown coffee is free of pesticides and preservatives.
Songbird Nicaraguan
Each package sold benefits the American Birding Association's programs in Central America. By drinking shade-grown and bird friendly certified coffee every morning, you are supporting these coffee farmers, the efforts of the ABA, and the countless birds they are protecting through community outreach and conservation. Learn more. Since 1998 we have raised $212,012.30 and counting…
Sweet without sugar, mellow without cream, it is a great breakfast coffee.
Noyo Harbor French
Distinctively smoky flavor with hints of jammy fruit, roasted nuts and baker's chocolate. This is our signature FTO French Roast, featuring coffees from Central America, South America and Indonesia.
Paul's Blend
Paul's Blend is one of the award-winning coffee roasts from our 2017 Roaster of the Year prize.
With so many great coffees to showcase our work here at Thanksgiving Coffee, Roastmaster Jacob Long chose to present the Roaster of the Year judges with a few of our freshest coffees: the vibrant and rich Kenya Nyeri Peaberry, floral Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, and the beloved fruity-chocolatey Paul's Blend.
Co-founder and Roastmaster Emeritus Paul Katzeff created this blend to showcase his favorite coffees. Blueberry notes add to hints of cashew and chocolate.
French Decaf
Formerly known as "Nighthawks French", this Water Processed French decaf is roasted to our darkest level. It is amazing how much this tastes like regular caffeinated coffee! This coffee is organically grown in Mexico and decaffeinated at a nearby facility to reduce its carbon footprint.
Like us on Facebook and follow along on Instagram and Twitter for frequent updates, promotions, giveaways and more!
Top 4 Organic Coffees
read more