chittöスタッフがたる上製茶さんにて新茶摘採のボランティアを行いました

Chittö staff volunteered to pick fresh tea at Tarujo Seicha.

For the safety and security of our customers, we helped pick fresh tea at Taruue Seicha, which grows tea without using pesticides or chemical fertilizers (organic).

My father does the plucking using a machine.

Many Kakegawa tea fields are located on mountain slopes, making it difficult to access them by machine.

Together with my mother, we manually remove the black cloth used to cover the new buds one by one.

■What is covered tea? Tea plants are grown by covering them with cheesecloth for about a week to block sunlight.
By not exposing the tea to sunlight, the tea leaves will contain less catechin, which is the cause of bitterness, and more theanine, which is the source of umami.
You can see that the color of the tea leaves is also deep green.

When removing the cloth for Kabusecha, two people work together to wrap it, but the weight of the cloth gradually increases, making it quite a laborious task.

As I look at the tea plants while working, I see how they coexist with other plants and creatures.
I feel like I understand a little more what he meant when he said that being able to work in nature while feeling the seasons is one of the charms of tea production.

The tea leaves are picked by a machine and placed in cloth bags, which are then loaded one by one onto the back of a truck.
Each bag weighs approximately 30kg.
This is also quite a laborious task.

And finally, it's time to ship.

I also visited the manufacturing and processing plant where the product was shipped and took a tour.
It was very impressive to see everyone listening to the stories from the factory staff with shining eyes.
This attitude is due to my dedication to tea, and it made me realize once again the importance of continuing to learn, no matter how old you are.

Thank you for your help this time,
When I imagined that the two of them usually do this work together, I felt something deep in my heart.
At the same time, I felt a sense of mission to convey and connect to many people and the next generation.
Putting effort into something doesn't just mean taking time and effort;
I was taught that the key is to continue pouring your love into it and pursue a single path.

Beyond the deliciousness of the tea, I would like to continue to enjoy the tea while feeling the feelings of the two of them.