Tea Forest Farming
5 days of field and classroom learning
Ask Eliah or Cam for more information
email: eliah@bigislandtea.com or kilinoecam@gmail.com
Tea Forest Farming Class Testimonials from previous students
Big island tea
The 2022 Sustainable Farming class at Big Island Tea was truly a once in a lifetime experience! Eliah and Cam were the most welcoming hosts and teachers, and with the fresh homemade lunches and constant supply of tea most of the time it felt more like visiting a good friend’s house than taking a class. The knowledge we gained, however, was invaluable to anyone hoping to start a farm, upscale a gardening hobby, or just generally have a positive impact on the earth. The insights on sustainability and microbiology from Cam (or Professor Muir) were extremely valuable to understanding the big picture as to why biodiversity is so important on an organic farm, and in a healthy ecosystem. Combined with the practical applications and insights from Eliah, this class was a perfect balance of academic learning and hands on practice. I felt capable of getting started growing my own tea right away with the skills and tools I gained here, and I hope the friendships and camaraderie that grew among our group of students will flourish as long as my tea trees do! This farm is a model of environmental stewardship, and I would highly recommend this class to anyone who wants to know more about how we can have a positive impact on the world around us- and also anyone who just loves drinking tea!
Erin 2022 class
I had a wonderful time with Cam and Eliah at the Big Island Tea farm. Their farm is a magical place with a
forest-like landscape. You will not recognize you are at a tea farm but rather at a fairytale garden.
It was an inspiring experience to be with two other young female farmers having classes together. We
came from different parts of the world, but we gathered here because of our passion for tea. During the
summer camp, I learned all the processes of making teas, planting baby tea trees, weeding, mulching,
and picking tea leaves to make teas. I have dreamed of going to a tea farm and learning all the skills for
years. Eliah and Cam’s tea farm and their program just made my dream come true! Eliah and Cam have
big hearts and are very knowledgeable about tea farming and its science.
Be prepared with some hard work at the tea farm! You will definitely enjoy your time at the farm! You
will also be well treated with fresh, tasty food and be affected by everyone’s passion and love for the tea
farm work.
Li Zhe (Kitty) 2022 class
Growing a tea Forest: Why and How
Our class includes both biological agriculture hands-on and in class academic lectures. Eliah leads the applied farming, harvesting, and processing. Cam, a biology professor, provides insight into the biological underpinnings of our farm techniques. Cam will also share results from our research with University of Mississippi to understand why forest cultivation of tea is so superior to open or simple shade cultivation.
In the video below, Eliah is demonstrating safe technique in using an axe to prepare banana stalk mulch.
Caring for the forest and harvesting its bounty
We share how to select the highest quality pekoe for both green and black tea and how to hand process the freshly picked leaves into ultra-premium tea.
Processing Ultra-premium tea
Processing different kinds of tea exploits, and sometimes interrupts, natural chemical phenomena that occur in leaves once picked from the tree. In the videos below, Eliah mentors Rachel and Erin in “firing” green tea. Kitty, a tea sommelier and graduate student from China, shared her experience brewing tea.