Brazilian Coffee - Growing Beans to the Rhythm of Samba and Bird Songs!

Brazil occupies a major portion of the land mass of South America and has 5 eco-systems: the tropical rain forest, the pantanal, the cerrado, the mata Atlantica and the pampas. The largest areas of natural fertile soils called "terra roxa" (red earth) are the states of Parana and São Paulo.
Brazil's origins make it a musical country full of passion, sentiment and joy: Indians' reed flutes; Portuguese viola players, and African thrilling drum rhythms. Brazilian music includes the soft sounds of bossa nova, the driving beat of samba and other rhythms based on percussion instruments and hand clapping.
The exact origin of samba is unknown. Perhaps it was born in the streets of Rio de Janeiro from a combination of Portuguese courtly songs, African rhythms and native Indian fast footwork. The reality is samba remains a part of Rio de Janeiro's streets. Carnival is one of the largest parties on Earth when hundreds of samba schools and thousands of people put on an unforgettable display of colors, music, noise and, yes, a lot of Brazilian coffee!
Coffee is very much a part of Brazilian life where people encourage each other to enjoy a morning cup of coffee, to smell the flowers and to listen to the songbirds:
• There is a connection between coffee, songbirds and samba, Brazil's most popular rhythm.
• The natural sounds of songbirds influence many musical tunes and variations.
• The costumes of Carnival and daily clothing reflect colorful images and hues inspired by local wildlife.
• The national bird of Brazil is the Sabiá-laranjeira or Thrush.
• This bird has beautiful plumage, orange belly, conspicuous dark streaks on its white throat and a narrow yellow eye-ring. It has a lovely song and can live to be 25 to 30 years old!
• Across the country, there is a growing awareness of the wildlife habitat reduction as a result of urbanization, conventional modern farming and deforestation.
• As a result, shade grown coffee, the traditional method of coffee farming, is growing in acceptance among farmers who recognize it as a positive alternative for wildlife conservation.
Brazil is a multi-million bag coffee production country that provides income for over 10 million people involved in the coffee trade:
• Over the years, quantity has ruled over quality of coffee grown. This is changing as Specialty Coffee production increases.
• Slowly but surely, there are coffee farms that offer top quality specialty coffees.
• Brazil's superb weather year-round and great geographic conditions give coffee farmers unique advantages over farmers in other nations.
• The main benefit is uniform maturation of the coffee beans with plenty of sunshine in the harvesting season. The result is a cup with perfect balance between body and acidity. The South Minas and Mogiana mountains, for example, yield coffees with very good body and aroma. They also feature a natural sweetness that is unique to this region.
• As the trend towards Specialty Coffee production increases in Brazil, so does the practice of environmentally friendly and sustainable farming areas.
• Nature preservation is important to coffee farmers engaged in the Specialty Coffee trade in order to qualify for specific certifications that differentiate their beans from others.
• A benefit of sustainability efforts is the coffee workers' improvement of social and economic lifestyle. Solid and liquid wastes used as organic fertilizers reduce the use of chemicals, a positive move for the environment, wildlife and bio-diversity in air, land and water.
So, ready to enjoy samba and learn more about coffee region bird species? Go ahead. Prepare a delicious cup of Brazil's best specialty coffees, the Brazil Blend!
Author Bio:
Timothy ("Tim") S. Collins, the author, is called by those who know him "The Gourmet Coffee Guy." He is an expert in article writing who has done extensive research online and offline in his area of expertise, coffee marketing, as well as in other areas of personal and professional interest.
Come visit the author's website: http://www.ourgourmetcoffee.com
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