Indonesia produces jasmine tea, green tea as well as the main product, black tea. Almost all is exported. Tea was introduced to the country in the 18th century by the Dutch but the industry went into decline after the second World War. However it was modernised and has picked up again during the last 30 or so years.
Part of the modernisation could have been to introduce machine picking but there is nothing to compare with hand picked tea leaves. It is labour intensive and exhausting and involves a lot of skill. The pickers can recognise precisely when the leaves should be picked to provide the best quality tea.
The next time I have a cup of tea, I will remember this. I must go and put the kettle on.
This is a post for Postcard Friendship Friday hosted on Beth Niquette's blog The Best Hearts are Crunchy.
Tea! I love it! Best drink in the world! This is a great postcard ^_^
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the best drink in the world!
DeleteLove this card. The more I learn about tea, the more fascinated I am! Happy PFF!
ReplyDeleteHappy PFF to you too. :)
DeleteReminds me of scenes in Viet Nam only they were rice patties.
ReplyDeleteYes, of course. That must look very similar.
DeleteHello, Shiela. It's been a while...
ReplyDeleteI've taken to drinking tea because of my husband. I never really realised how much I liked tea until I went to Nepal in the winter of 2009, lol. Now I prefer it more than coffee. When I think of tea plantations I think of Sri Lanka first where I saw first hand how women harvest tea leaves (by hand). You are right, it is a lot of hard work!
Hi! I was brought up on tea, I think. :) I always think of Indian tea even though I know it's grown all over the place.
DeleteI have been a tea drinker all my life. This is so amazing. All this time I thought it came in bags. You are never too old to learn something new.
ReplyDeleteSome people will never learn.
DeleteTea - who doesn't love drinking tea?
ReplyDeleteThis is the perfect concoction to calm me down, I love chamomile flavored tea. I wish I'm in my favorite spot at the harbor now, drinking tea.
Thanks for sharing this card. I can imagine the labor of tea pickers and for sure, I'd be more mindful and I'd appreciate more every future tea-drinking experience.
I love camomile tea too! In fact I have a cup of it sitting beside me here.
DeleteThank you for sharing this with us, I didn't know that.. I am going to make some tea now :)
ReplyDeleteIt makes you thirsty, all this tea talk. :)
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