Madame's Blog

Arrival

Sunday, 31 October 2010 00:00

Hello Kindred Spirits,

 

trouble_in_paradiseUpwards and onwards we journeyed along the windy road to Haputale, passing fruit stalls piled high with rambutans and durians every hundred metres or so. I was humbled by the magnificent views and hardy noticed when our car started leaking coolant and we had to stop to assess the damage.


I wandered around while I was waiting, and came across some tea fields on the side of the hill. Women were working there plucking tea and I stopped to have a conversation with them in vigorous sign language. It seemed they were as curious about me as I was about them. This gorgeous country has endured many years of unrest and tourists are only just beginning to return so western faces are still a rarity.


We shared a smile and a photo and the car was ready to go- minus the air conditioning!

 

 


women_workersWe finally arrived at Greenfield Estate on top of the world at 2.30pm. I am here because our previous supplier, Needwood Estate, has changed their tea manufacture and not been able to supply the specific grade of tea we need; so I have been searching for a suitable alternative supplier.


What matters to me most is that the replacement tea has extraordinary flavour and consistently high quality, organic certification and that there are good working conditions. Greenfield Estate is situated very close to Needwood and is an exemplary fair-trade certified, organic estate.


While Madame Flavour teas are not part of the fair-trade system, we are delighted that our leaves will come from here, as well as Greenfields two other organic estates. Now all that remains is for me to meet the team behind Greenfield and get to know the estate.


Until the next leg of my adventure, au revoir!

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