The tea is grown in volcanic soil and is shaded by koa trees

At the right time, the pekoe leaves are plucked…

and the leaves destined for green tea are fired

‘A’a is a fully oxidized, hand-rolled black tea made from Hawaiian tea leaves. It is not fired

Kilinoe is the garden’s limited edition green tea

It is mild and refreshing, with a hint of citrus and leafy green vegetables

Thank you to Eliah Halpenny of Big Island Tea, who allowed me to use her photos. You can learn more about Big Island Tea on their website.

Read more

• Review of Kilinoe green tea
• Interview with Eliah Halpenny, Hawaiian tea farmer
• Buy Kilinoe green tea from Narien Teas

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Tea: A Photographic Journey from the Garden to the Cup | 2 comments |
Post categories: Miscellaneous, Organic tea
Post tags: growing tea, Hawaii tea, Hawaiian tea, Kilinoe Green Tea, tea production

Once upon a time, Camellia sinensis (the tea plant) was only found in Southeast Asia, especially China. But the humble tea plant had legs: Camellia sinensis spread to Japan in the 6th century; to India and Sri Lanka in the hands of the British Empire; and in recent decades, it has sailed across to Africa and South America.

And now, you can grow tea in your own backyard.

Narien Teas are selling packs of 10 tea seeds for $9. Narien have been kind enough to offer a 10% discount to Tea Finely Brewed readers: just quote “teafinelybrewed” when you’re checking out (Note: Apply this discount code to anything you buy from Narien – seeds, tea and teaware).

Tea plants prefer a tropical or sub-tropical climate, but you could still grow tea in cooler climates. Grow the tea in a pot and bring it in during winter; or grow the tea in a greenhouse.

I’m tempted to try planting a few seeds in a pot here, to see how they fare in the Melbourne winter. Climate may not be the only problem though: tea also needs 50 inches of rainfall per year, something which drought-ridden Victoria may not be able to supply.

Still, the thought of growing your own tea is mighty appealing. I’m not expecting to grow Australia’s answer to the Arya Ruby or anything, but it would be fascinating and immensely rewarding to grow, pluck and process your own tea.

Have you tried growing your own tea? I’d love to hear about your experiences!

More information about growing tea:

• Growing Tea at Home
• How to Grow and Harvest Your Own Green Tea Plant
• Camellia sinensis article on Wikipedia
• Tea Harvesting and Growing
• Tea Growing
• Local Food, Tea Plants
• Planting Tea Seeds

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Grow Your Own Tea | No comment |
Post categories: Miscellaneous
Post tags: camellia sinensis, growing tea, Narien Teas, tea seeds