Our goals include growing tea as part of a larger forest ecosystem, protecting the trees and enjoying the benefits for the cultivated tea. It could save money, though yield will be less than tea grown in full sun, the quality will be higher - so we may be able to sell at a higher price. We also want to expand production in areas of our property that might otherwise be unplanted - such as a forested hillside. We are excited about learning how best to plant without tilling, how shade from the trees will help moderate temperatures and reduce the need for irrigation during drought. Last, but not least, we'd like to learn so that we can help other farmers consider integrating tea camellias into their forest farms or areas that would otherwise not generate income from crops. A value-added crop, specialty tea has a growing audience in the U.S. and U.S. grown tea remains rare and therefor demand outpaces supply.

We're using Camellia sinensis var sinensis and var assamica. The trees, already growing, are mostly pine, though some transition to hardwood. We are expanding our plantings as well as our knowledge and hope to make uniquely better (and more expensive) tea under these conditions as well. Our sales are presently on farm only due to limited supply and the funds needed to finish our commercial tea production kitchen. Tea takes 3-5 years to mature, so we are preparing for larger volumes of sales off farm, through direct retail sales. This may save us some money, once the understory model is established as it should reduce the burden of weeds and need for irrigation.

We are situated in the North Carolina Piedmont, where we enjoy slopes of clay, temperate weather (zone 7) at about 500 ft elevation. The farm is in a somewhat rural part of the county with limited residential development due to watershed and other restrictions, but near to urban and suburban areas, which facilitates agritourism as well. The land was farmed many decades earlier, mostly for cattle - we believe.