Intention
Here are a few ways ChocolaTree does this.
- We source 100% Organic or Wildcrafted produce. All of our seeds, nuts, veggies, spices, sea veggies everything!
- 95% of our menu is seasonal, based on what is available locally. If we cant get it within 3 states bordering Arizona, we don't serve it or we source directly from the most integral supplier. We take into account the "travel miles" organic food undergoes to arrive at its destination. For instance an organic apple flown from Chili might taste and look the same as an organic apple grown in our neighboring Verde Valley however considering the impact of the airplane fuel, packaging etc., sourcing the Chilean apple does not fit into our vision. Therefore we opt to support local growers as much as possible.
- The water we use in preparing our foods is an artesian spring fed source free of chlorine or fluoride, just pure water.
- We begin the germination process of our seeds and nuts in this artesian water to assure optimal digestion of the foods we prepare.
- We add polar minerals for added minerals to this germinating water mixture as well as use 3.5 Ph water for added cleanliness.
- When sourcing our superfoods such as cacao and maca which grow in other than the local area we work directly with the small farms planting the seeds themselves and nurturing the plants as they grow.
- When available we source wild-crafted produce including goji berries, chaga and reishi mushrooms.
- Our entire line of packaging and such is 100% recyclable, and at least 80% post-consumer recycled, & FSC Certified*. Including our chocolate bags, to-go containers, toilet paper, hand towels, paper napkins, labels, carry out bags, business cards, advertising materials, printed menus, everything! "Recycled" often still means virgin material was used - please demand higher integrity in labeling!
- Our nut and seed butters are packaged in glass, not plastic! Our shipping materials are reused and reusable. We even use the backs of our labels for padding instead of buying packing peanuts.
- Our printing paper is 100% post-consumer recycled.
- We minimize printed promotions and send out online newsletters instead!
- We never use styrofoam! We use reusable ice packs.
- Our gift chocolate boxes are made from cacao tree leaves in small villages in the Philippines.
- We source locally made honey from small bee farms that never feed their bees corn syrup.
- Our marketplace is filled with a variety of ecologically and sustainably sourced jewelry, crystals and minerals that are ethically harvested by consciously minded people. None of these gemstones have been raped from the earth, only hand harvested gently without the use of harsh chemicals or dynamite.
- We have planted our own small food forest at ChocolaTree and offer regular garden forums for free to assist others in planting.
- Our garden is planted in a unique way to honor the respectful ways of Anastasia.
- We only use natural cleaning products and never use chlorine bleach as it is the number 1 worst "cleaning" chemical upon our earth planet therefore it really does not clean.
- There is a selection of handcrafted goods in our marketplace sourced from indigenous tribes that we work directly with. Including tribes in Ecuador and Columbia like the Kogi, Quechua and local Hopi people.
- And last but not least, we proudly support ecologically based companies when sourcing goods for our marketplace and online store.
How It All Came To Be
Kelly Johnson and Radhika Jen Marie met in March of 2006, while Kelly was first creating his delicious chocolate creations. Soon after meeting Radhika began to tend the garden at the building Kelly was creating his chocolates.
At that time, it was quite barren but Radhika was determined to create a sanctuary where the elemental beings could rejoice. She planted the garden with the inspiration of Anastasia and assistance of many locals to Sedona. Through an unusual course of circumstances the building that is now ChocolaTree became available for rent. So, father and daughter David and Radhika Jen Marie opened their doors as ChocolaTree Organic Oasis in January 2009 with a vision.
KELLY JOHNSON
Chocolatier, ChocolaTree Co-Creator
It all begins with trees growing with ripening fruit year round. We hand harvest the Cacao pods and peel each bean individually on our small cacao farms. The beans are then stone ground in their raw, organic, fully nutritious, live state. Bitter they may be, until they reach the alchemists hands where Chocolatier, Kelly Johnson adds sweeteners like maple syrup or honey and sprouted nuts, berries & dried fruits to create each unique Truffle, Magic Bars and L.O.V.E cup (Live Organic Vegan Euphoria)
RADHIKA JEN MARIE
Gardener, ChocolaTree Co-Creator, Proprietress
An experimental gardener, Ayurvedic and live foods chef Radhika Jen Marie has grown a family orchard/garden, started and nurtured a vibrant Eatery and marketplace and developed a line of live foods distributed online and throughout the country. Her restaurant, ChocolaTree Organic Oasis is a safe haven for travelers and locals of Sedona to nourish themselves in an authentic way. Her contribution to this world has been recognized by many as she plants her seed visions upon the world an inspiration is born.
DAVID WARR
Pillar of Light, ChocolaTree Co-Creator, Head Chef
David opened his first full service restaurant at the age of 22. He has owned or managed 12 other restaurants since then. He is a conscious entrepreneur spanning over 45 years. As a vegetarian for over 40 years he has worked with a wide variety of food preparation methodologies. David says, "To me, food is medicine and the art of creating this sacrament is a pleasure and an honor. What makes food medicine involves a consciousness of sustainability. Sustainable for all involved, including the people enjoying, the growers, the earth providing the nourishment and all things involved along the way. When we prepare food at ChocolaTree we put the sustainability of the planet first and foremost."
We are honored to be part of this world community where each one of us is involved on an intimate level, contributing to the beauty and peace in the world.
We believe it takes a village, a world village in fact, to live in unified harmony upon this sacred Earth. This deepens and broadens our responsibility and calls each of us to be stewards of peace in every way we can. This can seem very challenging at times when we think of all the ways we are creating beauty and peace in the world and at the same time, to see how easy it is to not uphold the honorable responsibility of upholding peace.
In fact, every moment of the day we have the ability to create: through our thoughts, through our actions, through our words, through our choices, through not acting, not speaking, not thinking or not upholding peace. It really is up to us a what point the responsibility is upheld or not.
And right now we are all being challenged in many ways, by the growing needs we have in our lives to uphold the conscious responsibility of being human. This awareness, this consciousness is our responsibility and something we take very seriously at ChocolaTree. We genuinely nurture our vision in every action we take in living our lives and stewarding our sanctuary.
Since the birth of Our Sanctuary, ChocolaTree, in January 2009 we have been in support of our vision, and we do our very best to uphold our responsibility as stewards of this sacred job.
We have also seen there are other organizations that uphold a deep reverence as stewards upon this earth. We have chosen to donate to these organizations as a way of supporting our vision as well as broadening our reach as it were, to influence a greater level of peace.
You have the ability to donate to these organizations by visiting their websites, connecting to them personally or by donating here and we will pass the donation onto them.
Thank you for your heartfelt contribution and for upholding the depth of responsibility you have, in bringing more light and healing to this sacred world.
1. The Mother Earth Restoration Trust
Vision: We envision a world of fresh water, clean air, fertile soil and harmony among all peoples, where Life is restored to ecological, social, economic and cultural balance. By 2025 we will have restored the effects brought about by human action in the web of life.
THE UNIFICATION PROCESS
For over 40 years, the Elders have independently been in deep spiritual investigation into the root cause of existing divisions (e.g. war, family violence, global warming) within all planetary societies, including their own. They have been questioning why is unification so elusive and therefore life so out of balance?
This disciplined investigation — based in pre-ancient wisdom — resulted in a pathway given by the Mother for healing and bringing life back into balance and harmony. This is achieved through restoring the memory of our original essence as human beings. The Elders speak of this as the recovery of the “Original Seeds” or the Seeds of Wisdom — and that we as humans are the custodians and carriers of this wisdom.
This pathway allows a process that embraces the release of negativity in the physical, emotional and spiritual bodies – as individuals, as communities, as nation-states and as peoples of the Earth. This healing process has the potential to regenerate wholeness within — what they call “internal order” — which will ultimately be reflected in the world we live in (nature). In other words, this pathway resulting in internal order is the foundation for Mother Earth Restoration.
In recent years, this pathway has been shared worldwide with other indigenous peoples as well as peoples of the modern world and it is proving to be efficacious in the restoration and healing of the human psyche. Therefore — this pathway forwarded by the Four Peoples of the Earth— is a vital component of the Unification Process that is inclusive of all peoples, colors, credos, religions and territories.
2. The International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre
