Happy International Women's Day

From my 2011 post...

"So I will begin with what is most vivid in my mind, and that is the lives of the people who work the tea fields.  The photo above is among my favorites.  Notice the dirt under her fingernail, the pretty silver band she wears, the lines in her hand, the vibrancy of the green leaf.  It's all there - the hard work, the beauty in it, the struggle, the love, the tea that sustains this community.  It was a privilege to be taken to these fields and see, for a brief moment, how these people connect with me.  They pick the teas that I drink.  That I will never, ever forget."

Women in Tea: Shiuwen Tai

Shiuwen Tai of Floating Leaves Tea in Pinglin, Taiwan

It is from Shiuwen that I have learned the most about Oolong tea, particularly Taiwanese Oolongs. I am so grateful for her shop - Floating Leaves Tea - her teaching, her generous sharing of knowledge, her sense of humor and her friendship. I had the chance to travel with Shiuwen and a small group of tea lovers in 2015, to tea fields of Taiwan. There I met some of the most beautiful smiling faces I have ever seen.

And so with gratitude I share with you a little more of this tea woman's story. 

Q: Would you please share a childhood memory of tea?

A: When I was a child, I was close to a cousin who lived just across the street. Many times after school I would go in search of her. Whenever my cousin's father was home, he was always brewing tea, and he always asked if I wanted some. I would sit down and have tea with him for short moments. We never talked much. He would explain that we were drinking Oolong. I remembered that I enjoyed drinking tea out of a tiny tea cup. I would look at his Gong Fu tea setup and watched him brew for awhile. Then I would run away to find my cousin. He has already passed away. I wish I could have told him that I now have a tea business.

Q: When did you begin your tea business?

A: I started to do tea tastings at home in 2002. After our first tea tasting at home, friends were amazed with Gong Fu Cha tea service and asked how they could get tea like that. Shortly after, Floating Leaves Tea was born. We opened our teahouse in July 2005.

Q: What does your business offer?

Floating Leaves Tea is known for its Taiwanese Oolong. I travel to Taiwan once or twice a year to learn and source tea. I also offer a curated list of quality teas in other varieties, such as Chinese green and Pu-Erh.  I am excited to offer many tea education classes in the shop, every month. Please see the listing of tea classes here.

I am dedicated to learning tea from farmers and producers and pass on what I learn to the tea drinkers coming across my path.

Q: What brings you joy about this tea work?

A: I love learning tea from tea farmers, processors and tea professionals in Taiwan (and I reached out to Yunnan two years ago!). I consider it a privilege to be a bridge to share what I learn directly from the source to the tea drinkers in the States. Each time when I see that someone is excited with the tea I share, I know I have opened a door for him or her to the fun, exciting and fascinating tea world. From the sparkles in their eyes and the smile on their faces, I feel I have done right to connect them to the tea people to whom I am admire and am grateful.

Women in Tea: Jennifer Brenner

Today I would like to introduce you to Jennifer Brenner. She is leading the effort to bring a tea festival to Portland, and I am so excited to see this come to fruition!  Mark you calendars for July 22nd, and check out the website for details.  

Here's my interview with Jenn:

Q: I know that you were a Peace Corps volunteer, and that experience included tea.  Would you please tell us about that?
A: As a young adult, I traveled to Niger in West Africa for 3 years with the Peace Corps. It was there that I met tea. Tuareg people in Niger have a modified Moroccan tea ceremony that included three rounds of gunpowder tea and sugar, a small metal teapot, and a wire frame holding hot coals. The three rounds were for life, for friends, and for love. We would drink tea during the hottest time of the day, when the shade of the Neem tree beckoned.  These afternoons of drinking tea with my friends came to represent the spirit of Africa for me, where time was not to be hurried, laughter was abundant, and friendship and family prized above all.  

Q: You've taken on an exciting project with TeaFestPDX.  What will this be like?
A: TeaFestPDX is Portland's first tea festival, to be held at the World Forestry Center on July 22nd, 2017.  There will be a vendor area outside, selling tea and tea-related merchandise, as well kombucha, boba, and other tea vendors selling prepared tea.  Indoors we will have a variety tea tastings in the outer ring of the building, and the inner area devoted to exploring the larger tea cultures of the world.  Each area will have classes, tastings, and talks related to tea culture in that area of the world.  For example, there might be an area devoted to Chinese tea culture, with a Gong Fu ceremony, a talk on organic tea growing in China, or a tasting of Pu-er teas.  The first festival will be a one-day celebration.  Please check out our websites to sign up as a vendor, a presenter, or to volunteer - www.teafestpdx.com.

Q: What brings you joy about this work?
A: Tea is interwoven into the fabric of my life and I love drinking tea with strangers, friends and family. Tea brings people together and encourages a pause and a slowing down.  I experience the joy of sharing this pause with others, either through dropping in at my favorite tea shop, or through an event as large as a festival.  

A giant THANK YOU to Jennifer and the core team of volunteers working to make the TeaFestPDX happen.  I am excited to be a part of the event!

Women in Tea: Heather Agosta

For International Women's Month, I am featuring some of the hard-working and cool women who are leading the cause of tea. I'm starting right here in the Pacific Northwest.

Introducing Heather Agosta, the co-founder, CEO and Tea Blend Formulator of Jasmine Pearl Tea Company. 

Heather Agosta in a tea field, Shizuoka, Japan

Q:  Could you share a childhood memory related to tea?

A: When I was a little girl, my friend and I would have tea parties in her parents' greenhouse. We would make orange spice black tea with lots of sugar and we would eat gingerbread cookies. I am sure we would get really jacked-up on sugar and caffeine. It was a blast!

At a matcha manufacturer, Japan

Q: Tell us about your business.  When did you begin?

A:  I started The Jasmine Pearl in 2004 with my husband, Chuck. We started out blending teas in the basement of our home. We ran the business out of our living room and basement for six years before we moved to a commercial space.

Q: What does your business offer, today? 

A: We offer 100+ loose-leaf teas, all blended on-site using our proprietary recipes. We directly import teas and source ingredients from all over the world. Our teas are sold to cafes, restaurants, spas and natural grocery stores. Retail customers can also purchase our teas online and in our NE Portland tea shop.

Heather and Jasmine Pearl Tea Company co-founder, Chuck Bauman

Q: What brings you joy about this tea work?

A: I really love tea! I particularly enjoy formulating blends for our company and for other companies, as well. Creating new tea blends is a fun and challenging task. It is especially rewarding to teach others how to blend and to see what interesting combinations they can create.

Stephanie's perspective: Whenever I spy the Jasmine Pearl cans on a grocer's shelf or in a restaurant, I smile (and I order that tea!). If you're in Portland and a tea lover, this shop is a must-see. I'm particularly fond of the tasting bar and the line of Japanese green teas. Sign up for one of the classes to enhance your tea knowledge and skill, or get grounded as you quietly sip your tea in the welcoming seating area. 

Women and Tea - International Women's Day 2016

Image from Library of Congress, taken in 1895

Happy International Women's Day!  Today, I want to share some interesting photos and articles about women's role in the tea world...

Women Tea Pickers (from my travels)

• Flowers of the Tea Field - Images of women who pick tea in Darjeeling
• Weighing in the Tea - Images of women tea pickers, weighing their tea
• Women of Tea - When I travel, I can't stop taking photos of these hard-working women

Women and Boston Tea Party

"Maybe it has only been men who have protested the king up to now.  That only means we women have taken too long to let our voices be heard.  We are signing our names to a document, not hiding ourselves behind costumes like the men in Boston did at their tea party.  The British will know who we are.”  ~Penelope Barker

• Penelope Barker and the Edenton Tea Party in North Carolina and More Here

Women, Tea and Suffrage

• Tea Launched a Revolution
• Crash Course on Hot Tea and Suffrage Movement
• A Cup of Hot Tea with Your Suffrage History Lesson Part 1 and Part II

Other Interesting Articles

• An article by Eve Hill in Teamuse
• Drinking Tea Was Scandalous for Irish Women

Writing Retreat

Opening the gate to new possibilities...

I've been away at a writing retreat. I'm learning to facilitate writing circles following the Women Writing for (a) Change principles and practices. I love it! I spent last week with 12 kindred spirits, nestled in a beautiful retreat center in Cincinnati, OH. We wrote of our experiences of being women in this world. We practiced deep listening and responding to one another's writing in safe and nurturing ways.  This style of writing in community is about honoring the path of each voice in the circle. The intention is to encourage and lift up each person's words. The experience is not at all like a critique-based workshop. 

The local hosts were so thoughtful! They prepared our rooms with flowers and candles. I added some tea things and had a very peaceful writing corner. 

Hours spent writing and listening are a gift, and I learned that I also needed to get out of my head and into my body each afternoon. I went for walks and runs. The surrounding community is full of historic homes and inviting benches.  

I am still discerning where this path will take me and am very excited to be on this journey! (I still have my day job, too.) I know this path will include heart, bravery, the help of others, and tea!

Day of the GIRL!

GirlRising.org

Today is the International Day of the Girl, a call to action on behalf of our tender world.  And I say world because when we educate our girls, the world benefits.  Over 66 million girls are out of school today, simply because they are girls.  They carry water and care for younger children, they forage through trash for metal, they work as "bonded" servants - little more than slaves, they are married very young, or worse.  In fact, I learned last night that the leading cause of death of girls ages 15 - 19 in developing countries is childbirth/pregnancy complications.  Yet we know that when we educate a girl, even one more year, she is full of benefit not only for herself, but also for the community and ultimately our highly connected and fragile world.  "Providing girls one extra year of primary school education can increase future wages by 10 to 20 percent, and an extra year of secondary school increases future wages by 15 to 25 percent. Secondary school also offers a valuable opportunity for girls to learn healthy behaviors. In some countries, for example, AIDS spreads twice as fast among uneducated girls."  Source:  Educating Women and Girls, US Department of State (see previous link). 

I watched the Girl Rising film last night.  It's full of both nightmare and dream.  It's a film made to move us to action, as it  highlights girls who have chosen to continue toward an education despite their significant challenges.  Like Suma (above), who lives in Nepal.  This beautiful woman was once a small child who became a servant at an extremely young age.  Her parents, destitute themselves, thought it would be a better life for her.  But she suffered severely.  Through the help of social workers, she was eventually removed from her role as a bonded servant and rejoined her family.  Today, she is helping to do the same for other girls.

If you get the chance to see this film, please do.  (Disclosure:  I am proud that my employer is a sponsor!)  The film is being dispersed in a non-traditional way....once enough people sign up to view it in a particular venue, it's brought there.  There are also options for hosting home and organizational viewings.

So let's be grateful for the little girls in our lives - those we hold to us each day and those who need us to hold them in our hearts and actions.

Women of Tea (International Women's Day)

Tea Fields in Darjeeling, India

Today is International Women's Day, and I thought I'd share some photos of the Women of Tea that I've had the privilege of meeting in my tea travels.  The tea world is built upon the contributions of strong and skilled women.  These photos make me feel inspired, grateful and humbled.   

Yellow Tea Farm, China

I am so honored because a few of you have asked me to develop a series of notecards related to my photos of women of tea, to offer for sale.  I've given that request lots of thought, and I'm very grateful for the encouragement!  I've decided to approach this in a novel way.  (I'm not comfortable making a personal profit off of the likenesses of these women.)  However, I've got some ideas brewing...it may take me awhile, but stay tuned! 

The grand dame of the yellow tea factory

Will she grow up and decide to stay in the tea business?  This is a complex question. 

 Making Tibetan Tea

 Sorting Pu-Erh Tea, China

V-Day, Another Look

Vegan chocolate zucchini cake 

Happy Valentine's Day!  I've been enjoying making chocolate cake and taking simple little Valentine's Cards to my teammates.  My niece sent me such a sweet one that she authored and illustrated herself, "I hope you enjoy this very card I give you."  My heart melts!

And so it is for my niece and the world of girls and young women that I turn my thoughts to a very non-sweet topic.  Some estimates suggest that one in three women will be beaten or raped in her lifetime.  One---in---three.  As women, as women and men, we all suffer from the abuse.

On this Valentine's Day, I'm so grateful for my DH and my family and friends.  They love and support me even when we disagree.  I contemplate what I can do to make a difference to those who aren't so fortunate.
And I'm looking forward to this film coming my way soon! (My company is a sponsor, and I'm so glad to see the good work here!)

 

Meeting Pearl

Steph and Pearl Dexter, Editor and Publisher of TEA A Magazine

Photo by Lauren Hall-Stigerts

I remember my first year of subscribing to TEA A Magazine.  When the current edition would arrive in the mail, I would read just the cover and inside page, then put the magazine away.  I would do the same for each article, reading one at a time and saving the others for later.  In this fashion, I could extend my reading pleasure for as long as possible.  That was over 10 years ago, and I must confess, my practice today is much the same.  I enjoy this magazine and I don't want to be rushed when I read it.

I had the opportunity to meet the editor and publisher, Pearl Dexter, at the NW Tea Festival in October.  What a special thing for me!  Pearl and I had a long conversation about the pros and cons of publishing magazines online. 

I've recently become an online subscriber to TEA A Magazine (and given up several other magazine subscriptions), an effort to align my values of living gently on the earth with my consumption habits.  Please don't misunderstand.  I miss the glossy pages and colorful images.  I miss receiving the magazine in the mail.  Yet the bigger picture swayed me, and I have been quite pleased with the online version.  The images are equally as colorful and I can review the magazine on my laptop even when I'm not connected to the Internet.  My archives become electronic, saving precious shelf space since we've downsized.  It's a winning proposition for me.

As for meeting Pearl, I was impressed at how she took the time to converse with me, at length, about my experiences with the online version and agreed enthusiastically to be in the photo (and on the blog).  I'd also like to give special thanks to Lauren Hall-Stigerts, who happened to wander near and snapped the photo for us.

Do you subscribe to any online magazines?  I'd like to hear about your experiences.  Alternately, if you subscribe to TEA A Magazine, tell us what you love about it.

Ling Di and Huang Shan Tea

Huang Shan tea field, tea plants in foreground with chestnut and pine trees

I want to spend a few days talking about tea in the Huang Shan region (Anhui province). Of the 10 Great Chinese Teas, 3 of them come from the Anhui . (If you expand that list to the top 20, it's 4 from Anhui.) This is a very important tea region, and I'm grateful to have stepped foot in its soil.  It's a lovely mountainous region, and will always hold a special place in my heart.  It's the fist place I picked tea.

 

Ms. Ling Di

I cannot tell the story of this region without introducing you to Ling Di.  She's a "got-it-together" kind of woman!  Not only does she have about 500 acres of tea, but she also runs a large tea supermarket, smaller specialty retail stores, and is part of Songluo Mountain Tea Factory where her tea is manufactured. She's responsible for tea tourism in the region, and she's a partner in the building of a conference center ( focused on the tea trade and tourism).  I enjoyed meeting her family, as well.  She is knowledgeable, kind and hard-working.  She's an inspiration to me!


Stay tuned - I'll be talking more about the teas produced in this region, Ling Di's enterprises and some amazing tea snacks!

The Wise Ones

Thank you to everyone who shared thoughts and read the comments in my Wise Women series!  Here's a recap:

How do you hold joy and sorrow in your heart at the same time?


How do you forgive yourself?


How do you cultivate patience?


How do you remain true to your unique life's path?

Congratulations to last week's giveaway winner, Esmerelda!
(Her name was randomly chosen from the commenters.)

Thank you for sharing and for reading.  This has been a very meaningful series for me!

Wise Women Wednesday - #4 and Giveaway

This week's question:
How do you remain true to your unique life's path?

It would be easy to ask a question about gratitude today, but I'm sure you're already thinking grateful thoughts.  So let's take a different approach...I want to know what strategies you employ to stay focused on being honestly YOU regardless of pressures from society.  I look forward to your responses!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations to last week's giveaway winner, Mary Jane! 

(Her name was randomly chosen from the commenters.)

This is my last Wise Women question for the month, but I've enjoyed this so much I'm sure I'll bring it around again.  For what it's worth, these questions are very real to me and I take your thoughts to heart. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Stephanie

Thank You Tea

"A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

One of the hardest things about moving has been leaving some very close women friends in the Midwest.  And I'm so grateful that those friends remain close to me - let me praise email and Facebook!  I've come to learn that a network of supportive women friends is crucial.

And when I arrived in Portland, there was another group of women here who welcomed me into their company.  This has carried me through.  Without their companionship I would have been very lonely.  And so I recently had a "Thank You Tea" to offer my gratitude to four women that have made me feel part of a community .  And also thanks to my abiding friends - from coast to coast and in between, in the desert and in the mountains, in the plains and the cities.  Thank you!

Marilyn has written about the tea party in a lovely way, and I encourage you to visit her blog! 

For this special day, I used some of my favorite china dishes.  I served East Frisian tea and cranberry-walnut tea bread, along with fruit and cheese.  It was fun to host a tea party in our apartment.  The day was chilly and damp, perfect for a tea in front of my fireplace and to share the warmth of friendship.

Wise Women Wednesday - #3

This week's question:

How do you cultivate patience?

Patience is not my natural tendency.  I'm more of the "grab it by the horns and wrestle it down" type of personality.  But I've been working hard to cultivate patience.  What tips can you offer?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations to last week's winner, Faith Hope CherryTea!

(Her name was randomly chosen from the commenters.)

Each Wednesday, I will post a question and I'd like to hear your thoughts on the topic. Comment each Wednesday for a chance at a giveaway! (4 for the month.) The winner each week will get a sample of tea, a surprise, and my thanks!

Wise Women Wednesday - #2

This week's question:

How do you forgive yourself?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations to last week's winner, Marlena! 

(Her name was randomly chosen from the commenters.)

Each Wednesday, I will post a question and I'd like to hear your thoughts on the topic. Comment each Wednesday for a chance at a giveaway!  (4 for the month.)  The winner each week will get a sample of tea, a surprise, and my thanks!

Iron-Jawed Angels

Have you seen the movie Iron-Jawed Angels? It's excellent - I highly recommend it! (You can likely find it at your library. It's an HBO special that's been out since 2004.)
It's a story about early American suffragettes. It stars Hillary Swank, Frances O'Connor, Anjelica Houston, Julia Ormond, Patrick Dempsey and many others. This story is fictionalized, but based in history. From the website, "Iron Jawed Angels tells the remarkable and little-known story of a group of passionate and dynamic young women, led by Alice Paul (Hilary Swank) and her friend Lucy Burns (Frances O'Connor), who put their lives on the line to fight for American women's right to vote."

This movie needs to be shown in all high school government classes. It motivates me, and it would have lit a fire in my passionate high-school self. (Note: there are some graphic scenes in the jail portion.)

Aside from the message, I loved the film for the hats! Oh, such eye candy! And look for the tea references. I've tried to pull a few of the tea/hat snapshots to share here.

*Images from http://iron-jawed-angels.com/

Rocket Girls and Astro-nettes

This week wraps up Women's History Month. I'll be featuring stories about women who have defied boundaries.

I'll start with this radio story I heard last evening, Rocket Girls and Astro-nettes. When you get to the site, click the play button to listen.

Eileen Collins, the first female pilot and commander of a Space Shuttle, narrates. Other women astronauts, including several of the first, talk about challenges they faced as they made their way into the very-male NASA. I think it's an interesting story, and recommend it as one that any young woman should hear.

*Images from program website.