tea in the cowichan valley

well it has been ideas and dreams that have moved us along and now a new chapter at the farm is alive and real.

we have just received our lovely and amazing camellia sinensis... yes tea is here on the farm!

we are preparing the soil and terracing and will be planting when there is no risk of night frost.

we are thrilled to be sharing the dream!

the show

the tea festival was a wonderful success in meeting new tea lovers and folks who revisited us at the crystal gardens in victoria.

pouring tea

come join us at the victoria tea festival.

we are pouring tea. lotsa new tea.

like TIGERTEA. our new blend to celebrate Chinese New Year.

we are also celebrating having completed the tasting cups for the festival.

come taste the pleasure.

we will be closed at the farm on saturday and sunday.

up close

we have become intimately connected to the tasting cups we are creating for the victoria tea festival this weekend. the process is multi faceted. at this point the cups are brushed with a green oxide over the stampings. the oxide dries and then the excess is rubbed off leaving some in the imprint... many many times.

800

what you are looking at are the bottoms of the tasting cups that have been individually inscribed with a number in a series of 800. the clay is drying and the number will be scraped to remove the excess clay.

the cups hold a beautifully imperfect shape that makes each sip unique!

...

one must allow the storm

that brings the rain

to create the rainbow

journey of a tasting cup

at last years victoria tea festival we sold artfarm tasting cups to folks who wanted a real tea tasting experience. we had the idea to partner with the festival to donate tasting cups as a way to raise money for camosun child care services and contribute to an improved sustainable tea experience.

well... here is part of the tasting cups journey as we work towards the festival on february 13+14 2010.

clay is an amazing medium to create in. form and function are shaped with skill and patience. one does not rush clay. here it is in its wet malleable form. clay has memory . clay has resilience.

our very generous friends ange, jo and peggy are part of the team contributing their time and energy to the effort.

cups are worked, shaped, trimmed, smoothed, dried, stamped, numbered, bisque fired, glazed, dried, glaze fired, sanded and tested.

you will experience a one of a kind cup of tea at the victoria tea festival. VOILA...

it will be fun... come see us.