The Highly Anticipated Harvest
Spring is an exciting time for tea lovers as the first crop of tea is typically the most revered. The specific date of harvest depends on the location’s latitude, elevation, and relative weather conditions. As the earth moves from cold hibernation into energetic bursts of new life the growing season starts anew and thus begins our new season of Garden Direct tea.
Some of the first harvests come to us from China in the Mingqian season, which literally means “Before Qing Ming.” Qing Ming is the annual tomb sweeping festival and honors the ancestors with a time of celebration. In Japan, the first flush teas are categorized as shincha, or new tea. This tea harvest season begins in late March in warmer southern regions of Japan and lower elevations and mid to late April for higher elevation regions.
Similar to the anticipation of Beaujolais Nouveau or other sought-after wines, tea enthusiasts share the excitement of the seasons within the global tea harvest calendar. True tea connoisseurs know these seasons and eagerly await the release of the new crop vintage.
