Schafer Farms: Beans & Beans

History

Born in 1994, Alexis Schafer, grew up surrounded by the aroma of coffee. Growing up, she was cared for by her Italian grandmother, who immigrated to America from Sicily, Italy during WWII. From a young age, she was taught about the importance of coffee in her family's life. Her grandmother, Giovanna Schafer, would drink black coffee in the morning, with breakfast, and at night,. Her home was always filled with the scent of it.

Once Alexis was old enough to start drinking it, her grandmother taught her of the values that went into crafting the perfect cup of coffee. Together, they would grind imported beans, by hand, into fine grounds. Her grandmother would tell her that, "The best things are done by hand." (Which if you have ever tried an Italian's homemade cooking, you would understand.) Afterwards, they would brew the coffee in a Moka Pot.

Her grandmother taught her about the different kinds of roasts there are, the difference between Arabica and Robusto, knowing the texture of your grind, and taught about the region she got her beans from. The bond Alexis and her grandmother had and created, over coffee, is something that Alexis cherishes to this day.

When Giovanna was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in 2009, Alexis moved into the home she had grown up in to care for her. Each day, they started the day by making coffee with breakfast. And as the days passed, Giovanna slowly forgot the process. She couldn't remember how to use the Moka Pot or how to even use a spoon to scoop the grinds. But Alexis continued to make her her coffee and as soon as she would taste, all the memories seemed to flood back to Giovanna. She would reminisce about growing up in Italy and talk about the times she and her own mother made coffee in Italy.

It was coffee that brought everything back. Alexis realized that coffee was not only about how good it was, how it was made or who made it: coffee brings people together. It's the memories attached to the traditions of coffee making that made the memories flourish.

After her grandmother passed away in 2015, Alexis wanted to keep the memory of her grandmother alive. She wanted to dedicate an important piece of her life, to her work. Thus, Schafer Farms was created.

Schafer Farms lives on to be a dedication to the traditions of family, the values of love and the memories of great coffee. Alexis' coffee is unlike any out there. You'l taste the difference, see the difference and know it. She hopes that you'll use her beans to create fond memories and traditions with your loved ones that will continue forever.