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We are often asked questions such as "How did you get into tea? What is it about tea that impressed you enough to make it your career focus?"

In our experience, the naturally developed interest in tea that literally "grew on us" rather than us "deciding" to learn about it, has put us in a unique position and perspective. We have learned about Taiwanese tea because we loved being in mountainous territory and exploring the source of something we were immediately captivated by 25 years ago. And our interest and learning has continued to grow and mature. Now, it is the central focus of what we do. We visit farmers, ask questions, observe, lend a hand, and make friends. And we share this experience.

So, it was on my visit to taste the minimal batch of summer harvest that was filmed by the TV crew that we tasted the "special spring batch" that Mr. Liu had retrieved and put through a single roasting. I reiterated that I would like to buy this tea if it becomes available.

Sipping a cup of your favorite tea can be an enjoyable, healthy and relaxing thing to do, but what about all of the other things you can do with tea besides drinking it? Both savory and sweet, there is no end to what kind of recipes you can create using tea!

We can now present you with a short film that not only documents the organic certification of Mr. Lin's newly established tea farm and our cooperation with him, but also provides an overview of tea production in Taiwan, and an explanation of why this is a prototypical case of sustainability in the local industry.

When GYI contacted us to ask if we were interested in being a part of this year's program in Taiwan, of which the theme is "Redefining", we promptly said yes. And so we filled their slot of agriculture amidst other subjects such as design, health, media, and more in their 2-week program.

Eco-Cha Tea Guy, Andy, has been all over Taiwan recently searching for special, hard-to-find, and delicious black teas. By fully oxidizing fresh tea leaves you end up with black tea, and any cultivar of tea leaf can be used. Different cultivars, different regions, and elevations all produce different teas. We're still tasting to decide which of these black teas will end up on the Eco-Cha menu, in the meantime take a look at the list below and let us know which you'd most like to try. 

We're really happy we have the chance to meet you and show you around tea country while you're in Taiwan!

While in Taiwan you'll notice that tea is everywhere, not just on the farms! From traditional to modern, tea is deeply rooted in Taiwanese culture. By discovering more about tea, you'll learn more about the Taiwan, it's people, culture, and history. 

We've gotten a lot of great feedback through emails, social media, and in person. We love that you've had a chance to voice your opinions about pretty much every aspect of Eco-Cha.

Here are the conclusions we made based on some of the feedback we got about our packaging...

The most meaningful aspect of our work in the specialty tea industry is living here in Taiwan and developing friendships with local tea artisans. Visiting them regularly for years on end, learning something new with each meeting, seeing their toils and challenges that change with the seasons — this is the heart of the matter. Here we present a handful of the dedicated Taiwan Oolong Tea farmers that create some of the best Oolong Tea in Taiwan.

We finally got the chance to explore a site that has piqued our curiosity for many years. A tiny village at the southern tip of Taiwan that has cultivated tea since the 1880's!

All three crops had been affected more or less by the tiny little insect that is responsible for the unique, honey-like qualities in Concubine Oolong.