Greenfield Estate

Hello Kindred Spirits,

Exploring the beautiful Greenfield Estate in Sri Lanka, where leaves for my English Breakfast, Earl Grey Twist and Sultry Chai are grown and processed, was an absolute joy. I was most impressed with conditions there. The 200 workers and their extended families all live on the estate (that's over a thousand people) as they have for generations. Everywhere I looked I saw well-dressed smiling workers and children - there is even a child care centre.

The workers in Sri Lanka are Tamils, originally from Southern India. They live and die on the estates. When asked where they were born, they will tell you the estate name or company name - it's like me saying I was born at Madame Flavour or Gillette...a strange concept.

To give the village a greater sense of community and their own place, money have been provided to build a community hall owned by them. They use it for celebrations, including weddings, and lease it to other local villagers as an incremental source of income. The dining hall has seating for a couple of hundred and the kitchen which is basic, has an earth floor where meals are cooked over traditional fires.

The owners of Greenfield Estate are quite experimental and quirky. At the moment, they are trialling oolong teas imported (in a suitcase I believe) from Taiwan; and biodynamic multi-storey planting, with coffee as the higher story. They also have a beautiful lemon tree heaving with fruit in the middle of a tea field, imported from Cypress; which they use for the dried peel for certain citrus blends.

My dears, I was inspired! As you know, I am now working on some fabuous new blends and I do thank you for your helpful suggestions. Stay tuned for the latest on my new and improved Earl Grey Twist with a touch of lavender.