What Is Organic Farming?

Organic farming is recognised across the world as a healthy and sustainable way to produce a wide variety of natural products, and tea is no exception. From our organic single-estate Assam tea, with its luxurious flavour, to our organic, earthy oolong tea, we know that organic tea not only tastes better than alternatives produced with the use of harsh and damaging chemicals, but that it is also better for you as so many intrinsic qualities of the tea are preserved in an organic growing process. But what exactly is organic farming, and what makes a tea organic? Here’s our handy guide.

Put simply, organic farming is an approach that seeks to work in harmony with the earth to create a sustainable end product with the least amount of impact on the environment. The health of the soil, the ecosystems, the product and the people that use it are at the heart of organic farming, and so as a general rule, harsh chemicals are avoided, and the natural environment is respected and actively improved as a result. Producers working in this way are often able to have their practices and products certified, meaning that consumers know that they can trust and enjoy those products.

Organic farmers seek to ensure a balance between plants, animals, humans and insects in order to ensure a good crop yield by preventing pests. Whilst many commercial producers will use harsh chemicals to control pests, organic farmers rely on natural farming methods and traditionally organic controls such as citronella and clove oil to control aphids or other harmful insects. Natural predictors such as birds and beetles can often be introduced into organic crops in order to keep the insect levels down. As a result, the taste and quality of teas grown this way are far superior, as you can experience in some of our own exotic blends such as our Amour Épicé Assam tea.

Organic farming is also at the forefront of the use of natural fertilizers that keep the soil healthy. Plants are nourished naturally using organic composts, through the use of crop rotations and by setting the nitrogen levels in the earth using other organic products. Manufacturers farming in this way also protect their crops from contamination from GM sources and other form of pollution, so you can be sure that an organic tea is as pure as you would expect.

But is it really worth paying a little more for a cup of organic tea? The answer has to be yes, especially when you consider that although conventional tea growing offers up large yields, the environmental impact can be significant, and the benefits of the tea itself can be less potent. By buying and drinking organic tea, you are supporting small-scale artisan farmers and producers who are working in harmony with the land and encouraging biodiversity and sustainable crops. Organic products such as our rich and floral Verda Rozo or our detoxing Angelo Tè are ideal examples of teas thatdo both you and the environment good.