Farmer Zhang's Tiequanyin

We are nearing the end of our trip to Taiwan.

A very special visit is in store.

Taking the metro in Taipei to the end of the line,

we connect with these lovely gondolas.

What a treat to take a peaceful, gentle half hour ride

up the mountain to Muzha, a small village.

The view of Taipei is spectacular.  You can see the 101 building standing so tall.

After leaving the gondola we walk about a quarter of a mile down the road arriving at

this lovely oasis of a tea farm.  Tea is waiting with the magnificent view in front of

us of a tea farm and then Taipei.

After Farmer Zhang served us tea his wife served us a wonderful meal.

One dish after another appeared and we had so many new flavors to partake.

The battered tea leaves were also served here too, yummmm!

Then Farmer Zhang got down to the business of sharing tea. I loved his smile.

What I felt from Farmer Zhang and the other tea farmers was a true spiritual

connection to tea and what they do.  They love tea and work to continually

improve and learn all they can about the growing and producing of good tea.

Farmer Zhang talked about that aspect and about growing organic teas.

He shared how he grows lupines between the rows of tea to add more nutrients

to the tea.  My husband told him he was very smart to figure this out and the farmer said,
no it was my father and grandfather that figured it out.  He loves photography
and had many pictures of his yellow lupines in amongst the tea plants.
The lupines weren't growing while we were there, but the photos were lovely.

After sharing a meal and tea, we walked in his farm.

In two of the farms we found memorials to the farmers ancestors.
Farmer Zhang's memorial was lovely.
Farmer Zhang then took us behind his teashop to his small processing plant,
where we were able to again see the process of making tea.
He makes a wonderful Tiequanyin oolong, a real treat, which was
wonderful to taste, sipping, and knowing the heart that went into making this tea.