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Coming in from the crisp, cold morning in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley, the heat generated by the roasting machine is most welcomed. The smell of the coffee, as it makes its many thousands of rotations over the gas flame, is intoxicating. Down in the lower level of Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-op in New Minas, Nova Scotia, David Mangle spends most mornings supervising the transformation of the glossy green organically grown beans into the aromatic coffee bearing such enticing names as "Jungle Blend," "French Roast" and "Rainforest Rhapsody."
At 7:30, on a cold December morning, you might find Neil Shaw at the car wash cleaning the salt and ice off his 1994 Ford. By noon, you can usually find him in the office reviewing the financial projections. In the evening, he might be meeting with city officials to discuss rezoning or cab stands. Like most cab drivers, Neil also puts in many hours a week behind the wheel of his car. A day for Neil and others can involve these activities, which all seem quite different, but once he explains that he is president of a taxi Co-op the pieces begin to fall into place.