A Local Tea Giveaway

June 13th, 2010 · 51 Comments

I apologize in advance but this giveaway is only for the locals.

Last fall Wade of Rockridge Orchards was kind enough to let me sample some of the tea he grows – in green, black and oolong form. And while my dandelion coffee experiment was something I’ll likely never repeat, this tea tastes like, well, tea.

This spring I got one for my garden and it’s doing great so I can now heartily recommend growing your own tea. Not only am I recommending it, I have a plant and a sleek black tea pot from Mountain Rose Herbs to give to you. You’ll also get instructions on how to dry your own green, black or oolong tea.

Don’t despair – even if you aren’t local or don’t win this giveaway you can still get your own tea plant. Both www.RaintreeNursery and www.OneGreenWorld.com carry them. Just look for Camellias Sinensis.

To win this giveaway simply submit a comment by midnight Sunday, June 20 and next Monday, June 21 I will announce the random winner using www.Random.org.

Tags: Growing Groceries - Plants, Seeds and Growing Tips

51 responses so far ↓

1 Bethany // Jun 13, 2010 at 5:45 am

I absolutely love tea! I had no idea you could grow your own. Thank you for the giveaway.
2 Shannon // Jun 13, 2010 at 7:46 am

Oh, this would be fun. Ever since I learned we can grow tea around here, I’ve been very interested…I’ve just never gotten around to it!
3 Amanda // Jun 13, 2010 at 8:42 am

I have never imagined I could grow my own tea! I am an avid tea drinker and this is the best idea ever!
4 Heather P // Jun 13, 2010 at 9:51 am

Ohh Love tea! I had no idea you could grow your own.
5 Laura M. // Jun 13, 2010 at 11:48 am

Count me in! This would be awesome to try and grow.
6 Knitmomma // Jun 13, 2010 at 11:51 am

How cool! I’d love to grow my own tea. My daughter and I have tea together a couple of times a week. It’s nice!
7 Elizabeth // Jun 13, 2010 at 12:19 pm

This is a fantastic giveaway! Another hit out of the park for Sustainable Eats.
8 Dren // Jun 13, 2010 at 12:19 pm

I’ve been meaning to try this, but haven’t gotten around to it. Winning would be awesome!
9 Rebecca // Jun 13, 2010 at 12:43 pm

Ooh! I love tea and am always looking for new kinds. Growing and drying your own would be so cool.
10 Maureen (suburban prep) // Jun 13, 2010 at 2:03 pm

Tea is the beverage of choice in my household. My husband and I have almost a whole shelf in our pantry dedicated to tea and all that goes with it. We love trying new items.
11 Kristi // Jun 13, 2010 at 2:50 pm

I would love to try some locally grown tea. I keep thinking I’ll try it myself, but haven’t. If it’s good, I may put it to the top of my list!
12 Andrew // Jun 13, 2010 at 3:45 pm

I read an article about a guy in the pnw who is green housing his own coffee. My hopes for it aren t high but a very interesting experiment.
13 katie // Jun 13, 2010 at 9:22 pm

I would love to grow my own tea! Tea (and coffee, and citrus, and avocados, and, well, the list is longer than I care to admit…) has been one of my challenges with trying to eat more locally.
14 Meghan // Jun 14, 2010 at 12:34 am

Lovely! Do you know if tea plants are available from Rockridge all season? Or was it necessary to order it some time in advance. Thanks for your amazing site, Annette!
15 Jenny // Jun 14, 2010 at 8:10 am

Now you’ve got me very curious about growing my own tea. Hmm….
16 kat // Jun 14, 2010 at 10:18 am

I’m pretty addicted to black tea. Would love to try some from home. That’s a lovely tea pot too.
17 Rebecca // Jun 14, 2010 at 1:53 pm

Could you post your instructions for drying/making your own tea? I’ve had a tea plant languishing in a pot for a few years because I haven’t figured it out.

Thanks!
18 Brad A // Jun 14, 2010 at 7:28 pm

Tea is a fantastic beverage; I recall a most intriguing book on the origin, production and use of tea. I now drink it at work instead of coffee.
19 Jill Deckman Cooper // Jun 14, 2010 at 7:42 pm

Would love to enter — thanks for posting on SURF!
20 Nancy M // Jun 14, 2010 at 8:29 pm

My boom is green tea! Tell me how to process the leaves of the plants I already have growing.
21 Sabina // Jun 14, 2010 at 9:01 pm

Nice give-away, I like it. And the idea of growing my own Tea is now on my list of things I want to do!
22 Ann // Jun 14, 2010 at 9:03 pm

I drink a huge mug of green tea every morning. I would love to learn to grow my own!
23 beth morrison // Jun 14, 2010 at 9:31 pm

I too would like to learn to grow/dry my own tea, even better if I could win it too!
24 Martha // Jun 14, 2010 at 10:43 pm

amazing to think that this plant that flourishes in the lower Himalayas and in the mountains of China could be at home in my clayey Seattle yard!
25 Aaron // Jun 15, 2010 at 12:14 am

I have been looking for a tea plant for a while, but haven’t found one. This is an awesome idea. Fun to know it grows so well in our backyard, too!
26 jess // Jun 15, 2010 at 12:52 am

wow, i hope i’m local enough to win. we need a tea plant!
27 Deb // Jun 15, 2010 at 1:05 am

I never thought of growing tea in the NW, what fun!
28 Charmaine Slaven // Jun 15, 2010 at 9:23 am

Oooo! Tea! This would really round-out my kombucha production
29 Trina // Jun 15, 2010 at 9:55 am

Coooool! I want to grow my own tea! And I want to see a picture of the plant; what does a tea plant look like? Now I have to go find out
30 Heather T // Jun 15, 2010 at 10:02 am

My girls would just love to have a tea party with their own tea, and I would also.
31 Stephanie // Jun 15, 2010 at 10:07 am

As addicted as I am to black tea, it never occurred to me to grow my own. Sad, considering how much time I spend gardening. I want to thank you for at least making me think about it, even if I don’t win
32 Brook // Jun 15, 2010 at 11:43 am

This is a great idea, Annette. I love using oolong for Kombucha!
33 Elise // Jun 15, 2010 at 1:05 pm

I only recently learned that tea grows here. I can’t wait to try it out one way or the other!
34 Laurie // Jun 15, 2010 at 4:25 pm

Love the tea hedges at UW herb garden in the middle of campus. You can get a tour with a docent by calling the botanical greenhouse conservatory.
Have been looking at my garden and thinking of best placement for a tea hedge at home ever since the visit last year.
35 ken // Jun 15, 2010 at 7:31 pm

Didn’t know we could grow tea here. It’d be cool to grow your own.
36 Rachel // Jun 16, 2010 at 11:36 am

I was just wondering what kinds of teas one could grow…what a nice gift that would be for somone
37 Kimberly // Jun 16, 2010 at 9:48 pm

I’ve been thinking about getting a tea plant from Wade for a couple of years, but haven’t yet done so. Would love to grow my own.
38 michelle // Jun 16, 2010 at 10:16 pm

I am always amazed at the things that can grow in the nw climate! Would love to have fresh tea from the garden!
39 Lydia // Jun 16, 2010 at 11:41 pm

Love your project! We have a jasmine flower plant but an actual tea plant would be awesome.
40 Kim // Jun 18, 2010 at 5:35 pm

I stumbled upon your blog by accident, and so love your philosophy. I’ve read many of the same books and while moved, I have not made the major changes you have made in your life. Thank you for the inspiration and for touting so many local farms and business.
41 Lara Alexander // Jun 19, 2010 at 7:34 pm

I just wrote about where “tea” comes from! Nice idea for a giveaway.
42 Anneke // Jun 19, 2010 at 8:46 pm

I saw tea plants and thought it would be great fun to try! You are always doing the things I just put on my list of things to do some day! We are a few steps behind you, but the inspiration is quickening our pace! Thanks, Annette, for all you do!
43 Carla // Jun 20, 2010 at 4:01 pm

Just found your site from Cookus Interruptus and am so glad I did! Not only is black tea my beverage of choice, but this is the year we are planting our new edible yard and growing my own tea would make perfect sense.
Thanks so much for your blog. Am looking forward to reading and learning from all your past and future posts!
44 Jill // Jun 20, 2010 at 9:18 pm

How neat! I saw a tea tree at the farmers market a few weeks ago and wondered how they really grow here, thanks for telling about yours!
45 admin // Jun 30, 2010 at 11:34 pm

Lydia – you won! Please contact me before I kill the plant. I’m no good with plants in pots!
46 Linda // Jul 9, 2010 at 7:16 pm

I’ve always wanted to grow my own tea. I’m glad to hear that you whole-heartedly recommend it. Thanks for doing my R&D!
47 Juliet Powell // Jul 10, 2010 at 7:07 pm

I am British so tea drinking is in my genes!!
Here’s hoping I’ve not missed my chance…..
48 Joanne // Jul 10, 2010 at 8:50 pm

Apparently we’re neighbors! Thanks for sharing your garden journey in the Seattle Times (otherwise I’d never have found your blog). Didn’t know our climate supported tea growing — so if the drawing has happened I’ll have to hunt a plant down at Raintree (etc.). Fun!
49 Bevin Farkas // Jul 12, 2010 at 9:40 am

I love the idea of growing my own tea as I’m an avid green tea drinker!
50 Beth // Jul 15, 2010 at 10:59 am

I can grow veggies, so why not tea? Thanks!
51 admin // Jul 18, 2010 at 10:47 pm

Sorry everyone – I ran random.org one last time and the tea plant now has a new home. You can all order one from http://www.raintreenursery.com or buy one from Rockridge Orchard though!

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