There is only one uniformly black chia variety and it is grown in the Northern Highlands of Nicaragua. Here, our heirloom chia is cultivated and harvested on hill sides and valley floors in much the same way as it has been for generations. Chia cultivation is a labor-intensive practice, carried out by hand with traditional and organic methods. A variety of nitrogen-fixing beans, a staple of the local diet, are rotated with chia for cover crop and to promote soil regeneration. The result is a unique chia seed, grown to its optimal nutritional profile while preserving an important, sustainable ancient tradition. Our chia is produced by indigenous and women’s groups in the areas around Nicaragua’s ecologically sensitive rain forest, the second largest in the Western Hemisphere. Together with these farming communities, we work to address rural poverty and environmental degradation through sustainable agriculture. Our organic chia project provides income to many small-scale farmers, and we assist them in adopting organic practices, increasing yields, and improving their quality of life.
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