Media Monday: Tree of Life

The newest film by Terrence Malick is set to release in the U.S. May 27. I am really excited about this one. We'll be in Nairobi when it comes out,  but maybe by the time we're home it'll be showing in  Nashville. Check out the trailer...



Have a great week!

-Kerbi
Team RETCo.

Fall Plans 2011

There are a lot of great things happening this year here at Red Earth Trading Co., one of which I am very excited about. As the rest of the crew prepares for the upcoming trip to Africa, I have started preparations for this Fall and a new program. We want to bring our house parties closer to you...even if you're outside of Nashville.


Would you like to host a house party?


Be on the look out for a big announcement soon!

-Edwin
Team RETCo.

PS: For a little peak at what a House Party is like check out this Video

Adèle Dejak & Magik Grace

When we're in Nairobi, one of the places we'll be visiting is Magik Grace Art and Design Ltd., headed up by designer Adèle Dejak.

Her work is amazing and I cannot wait to see her workshop. It's impossible to not feel inspired after looking at her unique pieces.

 

Check out her designs on her website. I'm sure we'll have more to share after our visit there in a few weeks!

Have a great weekend!

-Kerbi
Team RETCo.

21 Days: Our Itinerary

Our trip to Africa is right around the corner! We are very excited and have began our travel preparations. Here is a peek at the work we will be accomplishing during our travels.


May 19th-May 29th: Staying in Nairobi
     Interview, Tour, and Film the following artisans and workshops
     *Metal
     *Bone
     *Beaded Necklaces
     *Scarves
     *Banana Fiber
     Discuss New product design with artisans
     Plan and establish shipping practices
     Visit MagikGrace Workshop
     Masai Market
     *raw materials - purchase and find where they make pieces
     *antique glass necklaces
     Find place of production and purchase scarves
     Purchase Banana Fiber products (trees and nativity sets)
May 29th - travel to Kampala
May 30th - travel to Kaihura
May 30th-June 2nd - Kaihura- stay at Faiths
     Village Art
     Meet with Chris and Katie and Faith
     Purchase more millet baskets
June 2nd-June 7th -Kampala
     Filming & Interviewing the following artisans and products
     *Cow Horn
     *Paper Crafts Inc.
     *Coconut
     *Banana Fiber Weave
     *Large Baskets
     *Table Runners and Mats 
June 7th - Depart for US


I hope everyone is having a great week!
-Katy
Team RETCo.

Media Monday: Charity: Water

Charity: Water is an organization based out of New York that works to bring clean water to developing nations.

Check out this video from their website on how having clean water, though most of us have never lived with out it, makes all the difference.




Hope this starts your Monday out with some energy to take on a new week! Have a great one!

-Kerbi
Team RETCo.

Randy Baranosky and The Graham Street Press

We love to work with our friends whenever possible. When we decided to print our new totes, I immediately knew that I wanted Randy Baranosky at The Graham Street Press to do them.

The Graham Street Press is a fully operational silkscreen and print shop that provides everything you need, from design to final out put.

They did a great job with the totes! Pick one up before we run out!

Also, check them out for your print needs! For more information visit:
www.thegrahamstpress.com
The Graham Street Press
15522 Graham Street
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
Phone: 714-889-1262


- Edwin
Team RETCo.

PS: As a special gift, Randy sent me this picture. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Video: This is Love Banquet

Check out our newest video from AJ. This was such an amazing night and a great success for GSM and RETCo.

This is Love Banquet - 2011 from Global Support Mission on Vimeo.

If you didn't make it out, we hope to see you next year.

Have a great weekend!

-Kerbi
Team RETCo.

Peter Ochiel and Action Ministry

Last Thursday was the annual This is Love Banquet hosted by Global Support Mission. RETCo. had a store featured and we had so much fun- pictures coming soon!

 Peter Ochiel

The keynote speaker for the evening was Peter Ochiel. Peter started Action Ministry in Kenya, which is one of GSM's Network Affiliates. Peter serves in the slums in Mombasa and in a leper camp he calls Blessed Camp.

Here is a video he made and played for everyone at the banquet.  The work Peter does in Kenya is so moving, and we absolutely support him here at the compound.


Action Ministry from Global Support Archive on Vimeo.

By supporting Global Support, you're supporting Peter and Action Ministry. This is why we do what we do.

-Kerbi
Team RETCo.

50 Days and Counting!

In less than two months we will be heading to Africa. Our trip will be filled with meeting with artisans and searching for new product and materials. I am so excited! Our team will consist of Maggie, Travis, Kerbi, Brady, Rebecca and myself. Here are a few photos from my last trip in 2009. Safari :)

Can't wait to show you new photos from this upcoming trip! And of course we'll keep you updated along the way.

-Katy
Team RETCo

Media Monday: News that Rox

We were on Channel 2 News at 5pm yesterday. Thank you Roxanna for featuring us!



Have a great week!

-Team RETCo

Spring has Sprung!

Winter was officially over this past Sunday and a new season has begun. There's nothing like the inspiration that comes from new life in the Springtime.

We just discovered these little guys right outside the office.

Springtime here at RETCo also means lots of exciting things coming up. 

This is Love Banquet is only two weeks away. We are ready to get together and share what we have been up to. Tickets are still available so join us!

Our International Coordinators Katie and Chris have been back in the states visiting for the past two months.  We got to sit down together yesterday and talk about all things RETCo.  We planned for the future, which includes our upcoming trip to Africa in May.  It's getting so close and we can't wait to get over there and see everyone!

Spring is off to a great start so far!
Have a great weekend!

-Team RETCo

Media Monday: Zach Farro

When we make our videos, we like to get our friends involved as well. If you had a chance to check our last blog, you might have noticed that the music was by a band called Half Noise. It's main contributor is our close friend Zach Farro. A few weeks ago, he came to us and said that he loves what we are doing here at Red Earth and that he wanted to write the music for one of our videos. When we decided to start our Artisan Stories series, we thought it would be the right fit. He and Edwin spent a whole day recording, and this song can now be heard in the video on Vincent and his cow horn business.

Check them out and stay tuned for some more amazing music from Zach and Half Noise. Maybe we'll even convince him to work on another video someday. :)

Have a great week!

-Team RETCo

Artisan Stories: Cow Horn

Meet our friend Vincent and his company Horn Crafts Limited from Uganda. He makes all of the cow horn products here at RETCo.


Artisan Stories - Cow Horn from Red Earth Trading Co. on Vimeo.

We are so thankful to be working with talented people like Vincent and we love watching his business continue to grow.  We're so excited to visit him again in May on our next trip to Africa!

Be sure to check out his amazing artistry at the online store!

-Team RETCo

Media Monday: Japan Relief

Japan has been on our hearts and minds since Thursday. For this week's Media Monday, instead of blogging about bands we've been listening to, we wanted to turn your attention to a couple ways you can get involved in helping those affected.

Samaritan's Purse is an amazing International Relief organization. They currently have a team on the way to Japan to distribute food, water, blankets, hygiene supplies, and other aid. Click here read more and donate.

If you're on Twitter, there are several organizations that will donate money based on tweets. One of these is @vitacoco, a company that sells coconut water. They'll give $1 for each ReTweet.

These are just a couple avenues to help- there are so many available! Compassion is love that must act, so get out there and help those in need.

-Team RETCo

We like to party!

Host a Red Earth Party! from Red Earth Trading Co. on Vimeo.

If you'd like to host a party, email us: info@redearthtradingco.com.

-Team RETCo

Just another day at the office.

Office Video Blog from Red Earth Trading Co. on Vimeo.

Stop by and hang with us some time... but be careful, we might put you to work!

-Team RETCo

Media Monday: Afterlife Parade

Our Monday morning meeting at RETCo has been accompanied by Afterlife Parade's new EP Death. Check it out here. We are also secretly listening to the upcoming EP Rebirth. Get excited!

Our friend Jacob Blaze did the cover art. Check his work out here.

Have a great week!

Team RETCo

Know.Think.Act

Know.Think.Act, another GSM program, is an online community that lists specific needs in Africa and allows you to pick a project and raise money for it. These projects include everything from mosquito nets and building wells, to HIV treatment and transportation. You raise the money, and locals carry out the change. 100% of the money raised goes towards the project you choose, and you get to see the progress.

Yes, 100% of the money goes toward the projects. Know.Think.Act is able to do that because of us (this is where part of RETCo's profits go) and GSM Legacy Partners (people and businesses that support GSM's operations).



Moses' Story from Global Support Mission on Vimeo.

That's just one of the many stories that we've been able to be a part of through Know.Think.Act. If you want to hear more stories, click here.

Remember, every time you make a purchase from Red Earth, you're not only supporting local businesses in Africa, you're also helping kids like Moses.

If you'd like more information on becoming a Legacy Partner, email info@globalsupportmission.com

Team RETCo

This is Love Banquet: April 7th

It's time for the fourth annual This is Love Banquet! This year it will be held at Rocketown on April 7th at 6:30 pm.

Every year, we get together to share what's been going on at Global Support and Know.Think.Act as well as raise support for all of the projects we have planned for the upcoming year.

This year, Red Earth will be a big part of the event! We'll have tons of our products set up for everyone to check out.

It's going to be an amazing night that you won't want to miss. Tickets are $25 a person, or $400 to sponsor a table (8 seats). You can buy them online here.

For more information, check out the This is Love Banquet website. 

Check out these photos from last year's event!

We can't wait to see you there!

-Team RETCo

How Red Earth Got Its Name.

Back in March of 2010, a few of us grabbed some coffee and sat down for a morning of brainstorming.  Our goal was to come up with a name for the direct trade branch of Global Support Mission, what we now lovingly call Red Earth Trading Co. 

Basically, it was "anything goes." Whatever idea came to mind, we wrote it up on the office white board, shown below. If you look closely, you can actually see at the top, towards the left, where "Red Earth" was written.

We didn't walk out of the office that day settled on the name.  In fact, we still had no clue what to call the company.  A few weeks later we left for Uganda still thinking it over.

A few weeks into the trip, the name Red Earth resurfaced.  Uganda's dirt roads and foot paths are so beautiful.  The deep red dirt and clay is in such wonderful contrast with the saturated green vegetation and crisp blue skys.  Everything started here, and it only made sense to give the company a name that reminds us of that... that reminds us of those who walk those roads and trails every day.

-Team RETCo.