The Gardeners of Eden East Timor Seed Project's 2007 'holiday gift option' was a great success thanks to the many people who purchased gifts for families and communities in East Timor. Thank you to these thoughtful and supportive donations from around the globe! Everyone involved with the Seed Project here in Timor-Leste is most excited about starting 2008 on such a positive note! We now have resources to provide many more groups with fruit and vegetable seeds of different varieties as well as tools, training, water tanks and water systems.

Additionally, thanks to an extremely generous donation from the entire Cleberg Family of Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA our Seed Project will be equipping a number of rural coffee growing communities with their own coffee depulpers, thus facilitating them having more control over the processing and quality of their coffee. The Cleberg Family's investment into the Gardeners of Eden East Timor Seed Project has also enabled us to begin a long envisioned nursery and reforestation project based in the mountains near Laclubar and in Dili. A nursery site has already been established thanks to the support of indigenous land owning members of the Laclubar community who want to see this project succeed for the benefit of their families, community, country, and the entire world. Many tree seedlings have already begun sprouting thanks to group members in Laclubar who have collected avocado and native candlenut seeds as well as the Timor-Leste Community Forestry Section of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries who have donated tree seeds of native species such as sandalwood, rosewood, and white beech as well as poly-bags for starting seedlings.

Although it sometimes feels as though things move slowly, everyone involved in the Gardeners of Eden East Timor Seed Project is now beginning to see the fruits of our labors and is greatly encouraged by the support of our global community. Just this week Grupo Agrikultura Mau-Roma Horaiqiq based in the district of Ainaro brought some samples of the potatoes, radishes, and buttercrunch lettuce that they have grown beautifully and intend to begin selling. It is especially encouraging to those living in the social and political turmoil of conflict and extreme poverty to receive a gift that is really needed from someone far away who has taken the time to find out. Knowing that one family such as the Clebergs could stop the ridiculous overconsumption associated with the holidays and instead come together and pool their resources to help members of their global community is truly inspiring. Please take a look at the Cleberg Family of the Red Rooster Coffee House in Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA on-line and make sure to stop in and visit with these amazing people the next time you are nearby!

For those interested in supporting this ever evolving project, please contact us directly to see how you can help, or purchase one of our Seed Project Gift Options!

Many thanks and best wishes for a peaceful 2008 year from everyone involved in the Gardeners of Eden Timor-Leste Seed Project!

Gardeners of Eden East Timor Seed Project
C/O Fundasaun Hari'i Au Metan
P.O. Box 19
Dili,
East Timor (Timor-Leste)
via Darwin, Australia
+670-729-7567
colleen(at)justcoffee.net
www.justcoffee.coop/seedproject