0 item(s) in cart

GREEN BOAR equates 'Organic' with 'Quality'.

 

Although it must ne noted that there are different levels of quality within organic tea production.

GREEN BOAR chooses the best.

 

Organic tea farming has strict requirements demanding the highest standards of tea husbandry. The essential factor is habitat. Organic tea plantations are ideally located in areas far from the pollution of cities and separated from any non-organic neighbouring farms who spray their crops with synthetic chemicals.

 

The type of tea seedling is chosen according to the local environment. This is vital for strong, healthy and disease-resistant plants.

The second key factor to habitat, is the tea farm's meticulous management to ensure optimum tea quality. Far moreso than in a non-organic tea farm, the hardworking staff have to husband and nurture the health of the soil, and to prevent the occurrence of disease and pests. As a result of eliminating synthetic insecticides and fertilisers, the ecosystem on an organic tea farm is much more diverse. This means much more hardwork !

 

Weeding, hoeing, trimming the tea trees and clearing dead foliage from the ground happen throughout the year. The trees are pruned in early spring and at the end of the autumn, to prevent insects living through the winter, and for minimising the potential of disease.

 

Why is GREEN BOAR Organic ?

 

It would be much easier to source and import non organic teas. Comparatively, it would be much less time consuming. However, the chemical uncertainty of imbibing unregulated pesticides and fertilisers is a hard one to swallow. More importantly, drinking a natural drink is the natural way to drink.

 

Furthermore, GREEN BOAR is aware that the use of synthetic chemicals in tea husbandry is a relatively recent development. If we look beyond 100 years, they were not employed. Why is it necessary to fool around with 5000 years of tea husbandry, all for a cup of tea ? Loose leaf tea is to be enjoyed for its quality. Quality in this case is governed by provenance. Chemical shortcuts in organic tea production are not an option.

 

The use of synthetic chemicals upsets the natural balance within an ecosysytem. It affects the nature of the soil and the livelihood of those who live, eat and drink of the soil, including us humans. Insects and animals are the first casualties. The food chain is dramatically altered. This is why it is important to redevelop a sustainable approach to husbandry. Once a tea farm has been through its organic transformation period, the ecological restoration is astounding.

 

How do I know GREEN BOAR's Tea is Organic ?

 

The tea farms from which GREEN BOAR buys the tea have been certified by the UK Soil Association. This means that the tea farm has undergone a series of rigorous checks, research and chemical analyses.

 

If the UK Soil Association has not been to the tea farm itself, then they will accept the validity of other respected European organic organisations which adhere to the same principles, and demand the same analysis. Subject to spot checks and annual inspections the tea farms are scrutinised in depth.

 

The Soil Association does not just stop there. The whole journey of the tea from seed to you is accounted for. Transparency is vital. The journey of the tea from the tea farm to the exporter (usually the tea farm) is analysed and from the departure from China (etc) to the Port Health Authority in the UK.

 

On arrival of the tea in the UK, an important document known as a Transaction Certificate must be applied for from the original organic authority who licenced the farm. This document, which the tea farm asks the organic organisation to issue to the importer must be presented to the UK Port Health Authority. This is stamped, signed and paid for. Then the tea can be taken to the inspected place of licence such as a warehouse or shop. Following this, storage records showing batch number and best before must be made.

 

The last accounted for journey is the tea to you.

 

This is why you can be sure that GREEN BOAR's Tea is Organic.