At one point, the Northwest Tea Fest was the only tea festival in the United States. That was 12 years ago when specialty tea was just gaining public interest. Now - the event continues to draw thousands every year. We caught Julee Rosenhoff, event founder and organizer, to talk a little bit about the festival.

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How do tea festivals emerge?  Who are the visionaries behind these great tea assemblies that bring together entrepreneurs, educators, folk artists, and bother veteran and aspiring tea drinkers alike?  We reached out to Portland Tea Fest founder and organizer Jenn Brenner to learn a little more about the origins of one of the country’s newest festivals. Between cups of tea and preparing for this year’s event - she took the time to answer our questions.  Here is what she had to say: Continue reading

Just across the border from India’s acclaimed Darjeeling, Ilam is Nepal’s best-known tea producing area. On a clear day, one can see Mt Everest standing hundreds of miles away nestled among the other Himalayan high peaks. Since Nepal was never colonized, all of the tea production in this region has been self-organized, and as a result, Nepal has a higher number of cooperatively run factories than across the border in India. Continue reading

Every year members of Young Mountain Tea join guests as we travel meet our partners abroad and learn about all aspects of tea production in the field. Below are impressions from Lucas, Young Mountain Tea's Finance Director, as he describes his experience waking up in the Nepalese Himalayas, and visiting our partners at Tinjure. Continue reading

White tea is characterized as a tea that is not oxidized (meaning broken, bent or rolled) in any way. Therefore, great care must be taken when transporting the freshly picked green leaf from field to factory where it is withered and dried.  Continue reading

With 38 years of experience, Nigel Melican is one of the most accomplished tea professionals. With expertise in both the science and agricultural aspects of tea making to the technicalities of production, he has been a part of tea-related projects in 28 countries.  Continue reading

You may be one of the many people that dutifully drinks their cups of green tea because along the line you heard someone say “Green tea is so good for you”. If you were curious enough to ask why, you most likely got the response, “because of all the antioxidants!”  Continue reading

A rare red loose oolong from Darjeeling, this glowing amber tea tastes of dark chocolate and cherries.

 

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Vaideghi Kanan’s family has been involved with tea for decades. They grow the green leaf that is sold to one of the numerous tea production facilities in the Nilgiris. Many of the women who grow up in this region find themselves tending the terraced hill sides of tea plants, plucking leaves from the plants year-round in this prolific tea growing region. Continue reading

Located in the lush forests near Nepal's eastern border is the Kanchanjangha Tea Garden and Research Center (KTE-RC) – a 36 year old tea garden in the shadow of the 3rd highest peak in the Himalayas.  Continue reading