This is my brother’s mug. He used it every day at work. Until a year ago. Now it sits on my nightstand. The drops of coffee that have dried on the rim seem recent. It makes him seem close. What will those drops look like in another year? Will they… Read More
The term “Direct trade” is thrown around quite a bit in the coffee world but doesn’t speak very specifically about the relationship between roaster and source. We’d like to share the story of how we connected with Dota so you can continue on this journey with us. This photo was… Read More
I had received several missed calls and voicemails from Joel, unusual but not unheard of. He was good about calling to check up on our life here in Florida. I wish I had been just as good about checking up on him. I remember preparing myself to call him back. Read More
This journey has been a whirlwind. When I think back on the last 4 years it doesn’t seem possible. Daniel and I were engaged and planning for the future, then BAM. We started working for a friend, got married, he handed the business over to us, we got… Read More
Have you ever made iced coffee at home? I used to a very long time ago. I’ll spare you the details because it’s shameful and involves returning to a sad little pot of coffee after it was neglected for several hours. Yuck. However, I’ve discovered the magic of cold brewing… Read More
Suicide. Suicide, suicide, suicide. Maybe if I say it enough it will start to sound ridiculous instead of scary. Like when you say any word over and over. Most words start to sound funny. But not this word. The truth is I don’t even know if I’ve said it out… Read More
I love coffee. My first college essay was about the coffee shop I would one day own and all the wonderful people I would meet. I might post a copy of that later as proof that Daniel and I are soulmates. Read More
I love the Holidays. Fall and Winter are my two favorite seasons, consecutively. However, in Florida, there are only two seasons. The first contains slightly fall-ish temperatures mixed with random 90 degree days and a few chill-you-to-the-bone damp, cold mornings. The second, beginning with a mass exodus of… Read More
If you’ve been keeping up with our journey, you know that I’m healing from a major loss. But it’s not just me who is grieving. My entire family, friends, church family, and even people I don’t know that were friends of my brother. So I’m… Read More
Let’s talk about small batch roasting. It’s fantastic. It makes a difference. It matters. But the best part? There’s lots of best parts. Not just because as a small batch roaster we’re able to live our dream. You get to be part of our dream. And we like you. Our… Read More
One time I ran over an alligator. It was a big alligator. It messed up my car and lived to tell his gator buds. Welcome to Florida, Darby. Here are my 4 tips for surviving the untamed madness that is Florida: If you say “Saint Petersburg” people will giggle and… Read More
I’m trying to keep this blog lighthearted and resourceful. But today I’m going to heal through writing. My brother took his life in June. That sentence alone can bring me to my knees at times. It sneaks into my head and my heart and makes me useless. So… Read More
But we won’t go that far back. This is the story of how Daniel and I were given a dream. Four years ago I met Daniel. He was a relative of my good friend, a hunky wrestler, obsessed with coffee, and most importantly, loved Jesus. So obviously I had to have him. There was just one problem: he lived in Florida. I know some of you would not consider this a problem, but I’m from Oklahoma. We have our own musical. I’m a fan of cold weather and to be honest I just don’t enjoy sand. But these are minuscule when compared with the separation from my family. However, we were in love and none of that mattered. We stayed up late talking about the coffee shop we would one day (in the DISTANT future) own, spent our days discovering new roasters and shops, and learned more every day about how much we didn’t know about coffee. Read More