The cacao used in Ambiance™ C o n f e c t i o n s is wildcrafted. That means that this cacao is obtained from trees that grow in the wild forests of Ecuador. The beans are not obtained from a plantation. The cacao trees from which our cacao is harvested are nourished only from rain water or the water from deep mountain springs. The trees are never irrigated from potentially contaminated rivers or streams. This cacao is grown in high-elevation volcanic soil, and it is brought down from the mountainous regions via donkey back.
To encourage the continuation of the harvesting of this marvelous cacao, Ambiance™ C o n f e c t i o n s supports the Heifer International project in Ecuador.
From a recent publication by Heifer International:
Most of the chocolate we eat comes from cacao cultivated on farms and plantations. But some of the richest and most authentic [cacao] grows wild in the shadowy forests of South America.
Caring for these forests so that they thrive and produce cacao—and opportunity—for generations to come is a major component Heifer’s project in Ecuador.
As elsewhere, our work here offers the dual benefit of ‘Caring for the Earth’ while helping families use traditional crops and knowledge to boost their incomes and improve their health and well-being.
Your support will help Heifer to train families to manage their wild cacao so trees live longer and yield larger and more consistent harvests.
Families will learn to fertilize trees organically to make them more productive; raise seedlings in nurseries so that they can replant whenever a tree is lost in the forest; and know the prevailing market of their crops at all times of the year as they work together to protect and sustain their way of life.
To learn more about all of Heifer International’s projects around the world, go to http://www.heifer.org/
