FARMS
OUR FARMS
It all begins in a garden.
We know our growers and we visit their farms. They are committed to high quality tea production that protects the environment and their workers. And because we are in this business as their partners, they set their own prices. Here is a little background on each of the family-owned farms we source from.
DARJEELING TEA REGION OF INDIA
Darjeeling, a renowned tea region, is located in the northernmost part of the state of West Bengal, India in the foothills of the pristine Himalayan mountains. With harvests between mid-March and autumn after the rainy season, this region produces black, green, white, and oolong teas. We partner with Snowview, a 1451-acre tea garden located in the Kalimpong region of West Bengal and surrounded by the Chapramari forest reserve, which borders Bhutan on one side. The river Murti runs through the tea garden, and the garden is home to elephants, peacocks, and a wide range of bird species -- including endangered hornbills. The teas offered from this garden are carefully crafted in small batches from handplucked leaves.
This tea garden holds the following certifications: Certified Elephant Friendly™, Fair Trade, USDA Organic, and Demeter Biodynamic. This tea garden is a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership.
ASSAM TEA REGION OF INDIA
The largest tea-producing region in the world, the state of Assam in India borders the countries of Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. Assam’s famous black tea leaves derive their malty taste from the tropical, humid temperatures and great amount of rainfall of the region. Elephant Origins™ Tea sources from two Assam tea growers: Bodosa Farms was the first farm in the world to become Certified Elephant Friendly™, and has gained recognition for its classic Assam whole leaf black tea. Located at the Bhutan border and north of the mighty Brahmaputra River, this tea garden is nestled in the foothills where the Himalayas rise sharply from the India plain, creating a magical setting for the enjoyment of tea and nature. It is also known for its elephant-friendly tea tourism, including on-site guest accommodations in a treehouse above the elephant corridor. BBC Travel, National Public Radio, and a number of other media outlets have featured this quaint organic farm, which is a haven for tea and wildlife lovers. The farm is owned and operated by farmer Tenzing Bodosa and his family, who are part of the Bodo tribe -- the forest people of the region.
​
Banaspaty -- literally meaning flora and fauna -- is a 160-acre tea garden producing classic black Assam teas, green teas, and specialty teas that are handplucked and processed in a small organic tea factory on the farm. This tea garden is located in the Karbi-Along Hills of upper Assam, close to the Nagaland border in the tribal heartland of northeast India. The rich, densely forested hills adjacent to the tea garden are home to a myriad of rare and endangered wildlife. The ancient movement corridors of elephants are shown on the map of the tea garden, and elephants move undisturbed on several regular routes through sections of the tea garden. The farm’s community prides itself in its efforts towards peaceful coexistence with wild elephants, and the calm acceptance of the presence of elephant herds makes this a true sanctuary. This remote tea garden is not only off the beaten path, but a world apart from other tea gardens Operated by the third generation of Mohan Family tea planters, this farm was purchased by the Mohans in recent years in an effort to rejuvenate and restore tea lands. The family’s mission is to produce world class, high quality teas through improved agricultural practices that are in keeping with nature's way.
​
This tea garden is certified as Elephant Friendly™, USDA Organic, Fair Trade, and is a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership.
DOOARS TEA REGION OF INDIA
The Dooars region consists of a tea-growing area in the low foothills of the Himalayas of the state of West Bengal, India in the southwest border region to Bhutan. South of the Himalayan peaks and north of the Brahmaputra River basin, the Dooars region is known for its tropical evergreen forests and diversity of wildlife. Elephant Origins Tea sources teas from Putharjhora Tea Garden, 1400 acres located in the Himalayan Hills. This garden produces a range of black, green, and speciality teas. The Laite and Runjhun rivers run through the tea garden, and are visited by elephant herds regularly, along with wild boar, peacocks, snakes, monkeys, and many species of birds.
The tea garden has the following certifications: Elephant Friendly™, Fair Trade, USDA Organic, and Demeter Biodynamic. The tea garden is a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership.