Fall Tea Harvest in Taiwan

High Mountain Tea baby!

Taiwan is famous for their high-mountain oolong teas and this gives you a sense of what they mean by “high-mountain.”

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Harvesting Tea for Wenshang Baozhong oolong tea

This is not a high-mountain tea, but a lower elevation oolong tea.

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Tea Plant Camellias in Bloom

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Ginger Flowers in Bloom

the best smell ever

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Tea Fields with Tea Leaves Destined for Dongfang Mei Ren oolong tea

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Tea Pickers Harvesting Tea Leaves

during the fall harvest for leaves destined to become Dongfang Mei Ren (aka Oriental Beauty) oolong tea.

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Tiny Tea Leaves for Dongfang Mei Ren oolong tea

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Freshly Plucked Tea Withering

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Hand-processing Dongfang Mei Ren oolong tea

Dongfang Mei Ren oolong tea aka Oriental Beauty oolong tea

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Up Close on Finished Dongfang Mei Ren oolong tea

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Contemplating If I Want to Climb the Mountain

I famously do not enjoy hiking!

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Tea Chef Melanie Franks and me

We were roommates on the trip and I’m so happy we were!

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Tea Pickers on a Morning Harvest

fall harvest season

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Handcrafted Charcoal Roasting

This is of a Dong Ding oolong tea.

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Finished Dong Ding oolong tea

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Hilariously Faking the Real Thing

…while at the authentic source.

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Beautiful Rows of Tea Bushes

high-elevation high-mountain tea

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Hi!

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

View from the tea fields

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

withering

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

withering

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

withering

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

This was like a tea field rollercoaster

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

our shadows on the tea field rollercoaster

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

Tea Pickers Harvesting during the Fall Harvest

Taiwan © 2011 Tranquil Tuesdays

I joined a small group of tea professionals on a trip around Taiwan’s many tea producing regions during the fall harvest. It was a wonderful introduction into Taiwan’s unique tea production industry and culture.