Taiwan coffee and teas from small farms in Kaohsiung, sold in London and other cities

[Brianjones]

@Explant

I was alluding to market for such teas are largely the same age group that is still employed to hand pick it probably not literally, but seems so generally.

Yes kinda true but if you think about it that’s the fastest growing part of many populations
worldwide. Anyway you can’t really make REALLY good oolong or oriental beauty with machine cut tea because you are supposed to only brew from the ‘two leaves and one heart’ which is the least bitter and most full of the good stuff.

[Explant]

@Brianjones

@Explant

I was alluding to market for such teas are largely the same age group that is still employed to hand pick it probably not literally, but seems so generally.

Yes kinda true but if you think about it that’s the fastest growing part of many populations
worldwide. Anyway you can’t really make REALLY good oolong or oriental beauty with machine cut tea because you are supposed to only brew from the ‘two leaves and one heart’ which is the least bitter and most full of the good stuff.

I dont disagree. seems right, I just assume in another 20~40 years, when the last of the tea pickers have died off, the young people will be craving sugar infused caramel whatever machine shit and the “old person tea” (no joke, how Ihhear it referred to by people younger than me haha) will be a pretty tiny niche. until, of course, the old becomes fashionable again and then gets expensive and jobs pop up once more.

my plan is to enjoy now. both before I get too old to drink such stimulants and before the workers have vanished.

i do notice lots more vietnamese pickers in our town though. i have hope, just seems sad that the only realistic way forward s through marriage based immigration. that part tugs me the wrong way, if I am being honest. but that’s a post for another thread perhaps.

I wonder if you, or anyone else, in various areas of taiwan are seeing young Taiwanese pick.up the tea picking trade? I see loads of young tea bosses, but next to zero doing the actual field labor.