Blogher sent me to Colombia to cover the ‘Win a Trip with Juan’ contest. I took photos, reported and shot and edited video.
Colombia – Day One in Bogota
After lunch we went to the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia headquarters where we had the opportunity to watch some of their processes and how they quality control the coffee that gets exported. The Federation’s mission is to ensure the well-being of Colombian coffee growing families…FULL STORY
Colombia, Day Two in Pereira, Coffee Farm
The Federation encourages the cafeteros to grow other food in their fields along with the coffee to sustain themselves like corn, tomatoes etc. On this particular farm they grow a variety of arabica coffee bean that is resistant to rust (roya in Spanish) which destroys the leaves and beans. FULL STORY
Colombia, Day Two in Pereira, Juan Valdez, National Coffee Park
There’s this man – perhaps you’ve heard of him – Juan Valdez? I don’t know anyone that hasn’t heard of him, but in Colombia, Juan Valdez is THE most famous person. And we got to meet him. He was very nice. Carlos Sanchez, who has been Juan Valdez since 1969, recently retired and a search for the new face of Juan Valdez commenced. The winner was Carlos Castañeda, a 39-year-old rural coffee grower from Andes in the Antioquia region of Colombia. FULL STORY
Colombia, Day Three in Manizales and Chinchina, Caldas
In the morning we went to visit the Coffee Growers Committee of Caldas or Comite de Cafeteros de Caldas in Manizales. The Coffee Growers Committee of Caldas is the representation for Caldas of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia. This is also where they manage the tree renewal program in Caldas. They also manage the extension service or technical support services (yellow t-shirts people). One of the most important projects of the Caldas committee is education, especially in elementary and secondary schools. They have beautiful land there with animals, orchids and butterflies. I was a little scared of the ostriches…FULL STORY
Colombia, Day Four in Bogota
On our last full day in Colombia, we flew back to Bogota. We had a lazy early afternoon and then got together later for a visit to the Salt Cathedral or Catedral de Sal in Zipaquirá. There are 14 small chapels inside which represent the Stations of The Cross complete with kneeling prayer platforms. All of it is carved out of salt. FULL STORY
Blogher sent me to the RNC 2008 to shoot and edit video of Mary Katharine Ham speaking with people of interest.
A Democrat in a Sea of Republicans at the RNC, Minneapolis
Blogher sent me to the RNC to shoot video. I’m having a great time, minus the blisters. FULL POST
