Meet August Jones… part time tea farmer and bon vivant (of all things tea). I had the great pleasure of working with August this summer. He cared for the tea plants and helped with many aspects of farm life. Occasionally, his sister Enya also contributed to the effort.  The tea plants shared their wisdom and we all benefited from the learning and new discoveries.

December 15th is International Tea Day and is celebrated in many tea growing regions around the world. It began in India in 2005 to raise awareness of the plight of tea pickers’ working conditions and the challenge small scale tea growers face against corporate producers of international brands. Millions of workers are affected by the forces of the global economy and the dynamics of an ever-expanding tea industry. The impact and complexity of the issue can be overwhelming. A good place to start is to choose organic loose leaf and fairly traded tea. Avoiding the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers improves the health and well being of both workers and consumers alike.

I invite you to take a moment on Thursday December 15th to enjoy a cup of tea and to think of the workers around the world and around the corner who bring you your tea. Recently, August was on the slopes preparing the tea plants for winter. I asked him what he thought about perhaps being the only person in Canada working in a tea garden right then. He did not say anything… the smile on his face said it all!

We will be having a complimentary tea tasting all day Thursday December 15th between 10am-5pm at the farm. We will sample teas from several different tea growing regions… with a surprise or two in store!

Be our guest and receive 15% off our selection of estate grown teas.