Welcome to Heart of the Sky Fair Trade

New:  It's spring cleaning at Heart of the Sky Fair Trade!  Check out the 'Clearance' category for all kinds of new merchandise.  $5 Arte Maya calendars, $20 table cloths, and so on and so forth.

May 2012

If you've been on my website before or if you've spent any amount of time talking to me you know that I began importing fair trade textiles and jewelry from Guatemala as a way to improve to the lives of people that I had met while I was in Guatemala volunteering as a human rights observer. 

'Fair trade' is a simple, straight-forward concept: pay people fairly for their labor and their lives will improve. When artisans and farmers are paid fairly extraordinary changes in their lives occur. They can stockpile a few months worth of beans and corn in case the next crop fails.  (Imagine the relief of not having to worry about whether or not your family will go hungry!) They can put a tin roof on their house before the rainy season hits. They can afford transportation so their kids can go to the neighboring village where the traveling nurse is giving diptheria boosters. They can dig a well so they have a consistent source of water. They don't have to risk their lives coming to the US to slaughter our chickens and pick our strawberries. They have hope. They can envision a better life.  They HAVE better lives.  

Where can you find Heart of the Sky Fair Trade products in person? 

1.  May 19th at Fighting Bob Fest North in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.  (At the Northern Wisconsin Fairgrounds.)

2.  May 20th at the WORT Block Party in Madison, Wisconsin.  (On the 600 block of Doty.)

3.  June 15th-17th at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association Fair in Custer, Wisconsin.  (At the MREA grounds.) 

4.  July 21st-July 22nd at the American Girl Benefit Sale for the Madison Children's Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin. 

5.  July 28th at the Kickapoo Country Fair in LaFarge, Wisconsin.  (On the Organic Valley grounds.)

6.  I don't have a physical store, but if you are in the southwest Wisconsin area and want to do some shopping in person, great! Just give me a call (608-588-5223) and we'll arrange something. (I live about 45 minutes west of Madison.)

7.  Host a Fair Trade Fundraiser. (Click on the link at the left for details.)

8. If you think my products would be a good match for your local co-op, gift shop, etc, let me know and I'll send out my wholesale information.

Thank you for supporting human rights by supporting fair trade. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments. My e-mail address is melindavanslyke@gmail.com and my phone number is 608-588-5223. 

Melinda