You could spend every day of your life enjoying a cup of tea but would you enjoy it more if you knew who harvested it? If you can visit a tea field and tour with the farmer do not hesitate. Behind each leaf is a farmer striving to bring their art to life in a way that pleases palates. We saw this dedication to the art with Susan at her tea farm when we visited in March of 2024. Beyond tea farming and processing they also work with a variety of other agriculture like White Pineapple. They don’t only deal with plants and bugs though; they also have to deal with wild pigs and humans who try to steal their crops. Please take a moment to support the work of smaller tea farmers by buying their tea and booking tours.

Website: https://ancientleaftea.com/

Location: Onomea Bay, Moku O Keawe (Big Island), HI, USA

Company Focus: Locally grown tea and other agriculture

Most Popular Company Teas:

• Our bestsellers would have to be our Ki Kea Ono (pure white tea) and Ki Ele Ono (pure black tea), as well as our single-source Japanese Matcha. The matcha comes from our sister farm in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, and they’re the only farm we partner with; they share our values while bringing 800+ years of Japanese cultural experience to their craft, and it is a joy to work with them.
  When it comes to quality Hawai’i-grown teas, however, our pure teas are exceptional; grown in the rainforest of Onomea Bay using only organic and regenerative methods, our pure teas are hand-picked and small-batch dried on our farm. The care that goes into each batch of our teas mingles with the Hawaiian soil and sunshine, and at the end of the day, I think that’s what our customers respond to the most!

Does your Company Name have a meaning?

• The name “Ancient Leaf Tea” is a love letter to the history of tea not only as a drink, but as a part of ceremony, spirituality, and history as well. Legend says that the first cup of tea was brewed on the whims of the wind back in 2737 BC, when the leaves of a tree (purportedly Camillia Sinensis) blew into the Emperor’s hot water and he drank it, discovering that the taste was quite pleasant. Tea is truly an ancient beverage, and its history is entwined tightly with Buddhist tradition and global trade dating back thousands of years. At Ancient Leaf Tea, we strive to remember the rich legacy of the plants that we cultivate, and our name is just one way that we do so!

Do you participate in any charities?

• Yes! As a small family business, we do our part in the Hilo community by supporting outreach for our homeless community and their animals!

What is your (& co-worker’s) favorite tea?

• Tastes range widely on the farm! My brother David always starts his morning with a mug of our pure black tea with a touch of local honey. My husband Art especially loves the second and third steeps of our black tea in the mornings or an iced matcha lemonade on a hot day. Our farm technician Vi loves our oolong teas, and my favorite would have to be our Ki ele Ono (pure black tea) in the morning, our Ki Mao Ono (cold infused) Pure Green Tea with a splash of white pineapple juice in the afternoon, and one of our herbal infusions in the evening. Basically, I’m drinking our teas all throughout the day. The benefits of working and living on a tea farm!

What are your thoughts about transparency in the tea industry?

• Transparency is absolutely vital; consumers have the right to know the origins and quality of anything that they put into their bodies, tea included! At Ancient Leaf Tea, we are proud to grow all of our teas, hibiscus, butterfly pea, turmeric, ginger, and more right here on our farm in Papaikou. On the rare occasion we don’t have an aromatic that we need for a certain blend, our customers can rest assured that we only source from vendors here in Hawai’i!

What role(s) does tea play in our lives?

• Tea is so beautifully dynamic. It is medicine and ceremony, an energizer and an element of calm, a unifier of peoples from all walks of life. I have seen tea play vital roles in healing, conversation, and shows of affection; friendships have been forged while picking and pruning the tea rows, and losses have been grieved with a mug in hand. In my experience, there are few things, if any, that cannot be discussed and made better over a good cup of tea, I am grateful for each and every new lesson that the leaves have to teach me.

Anything else you’d like to add?

• I’d like to say mahalo to you and your readers for taking the time to get to know us better!

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TeaTiff Picks: Ginger White. This was a hard choice. While I enjoyed all of her tea I truly enjoyed her oolong and this one the most. But ultimately I decided on Ginger White because I love how the fresh ginger melts with the rest of the earthy white notes. The full review can be found here.