For almost ten years now folks who attended Mecklenburg Audubon Society meeting have been able to sip some brew before the program began. When we first started serving Birds & Beans Coffee the idea of shade grown coffee was new to most of us. MAS decision to switch to shade grown coffee was a conscience effort to support this fledgling environ-mental movement. In doing so we've been able help support coffee growers in Nicaragua. In January of 2016 a group of five MAS members visited several farms in Nicaragua to see first hand how our monies have benefited birds, farm families and rural workers, and the Earth we all share.