On Apr 22, 7:43 am, magicleaf > wrote:
> l visited the anxi mountains a few days a go and observed the entire
> process of how the tie guan yin teas are made, really interesting
> stuff. There are so many small familes processing this tea and then
> they rush it off to the market. I noticed that there are guys all over
> the fields spraying chemicals on the bushes to kill the bugs, which
> was quite an eye opener and as you drive a long there are tea leaves
> being withered on top of concrete buildings and people sitting around
> tables sorting the leaves and guys on motorbikes flying around the
> corners with teas on big bags. What a business
>
> The best part was I was given at the one factory some aged tie guan
> ying , it looked dark, the leaves really krinkled and hardly a smell
> to it. Apparantely it is kept in porcelin pots and has to be fired
> evry year in a wok to keep the moisture out and maintain its quality.
> After tatsing it I was totally blown a way . This tea is really really
> nice. Crisp honey fired notes and a woody taste which is subtle and
> friendly and this tea just made brew after brew after brew and still
> had a dominant character. I asked for half a pound but they only gave
> a small sample in a tiny zip lok bag which is now safely in a sealed
> tin in my soitcase. did not know that aged oolong existed.. and thank
> you Yigo , for those who dont know ,Yigo contacted me through this
> forum and he lives in china ,and I called him when I arrived in china
> as promised and invited him to join me on this adventure and of course
> he dived at the opertunity and we had a very fruitful experience
> together.
>
> Maurice
>
> www.tea-junction.com

This "spray chemicals on just about everything" in China is very scary
to me. Ortho is supplying many of the pesticides that are illegal here
to growers in China.
Perhaps it's a good idea to let all the vendors we shop with know that
there is concern.
Happy Earth Day!
Shen