How do we get Tea Blossom Honey? We get asked, "how do we know it is Tea Blossom Honey?" Although a honey bee can travel a fair distance for nectar sources, it is unlikely to, when a valuable nectar source is right outside their door. In the fall is when we harvest our Tea Blossom Honey. First, we change out the hive. At this time, all the usual Mississippi fall flowers have completed their bloom cycle.The Goldenrod has finished its blooms. But in our fields, where the bee hives are placed, are thousands of tea blossom blooms, covered in honey bees. The honey bees can be found all over the tea plants blossoming in abundance. The availability of thousands of...
We offer Mississippi Belle Oolong and Mississippi Empress Oolong in our online farm store each year. Oolong teas are rare in the US and usually made in Southern China and Taiwan. It requires a UV process to achieve the right flavor. But we found we can use technology to duplicate the UV process right here in Mississippi and still achieve the great Oolong flavor. Thus, allowing us to make this great tea closer to home. So what is the difference between the two Oolong teas? Mississippi Belle Oolong tea is made all season long. We have a particular plant that is needed for this tea. It has a more robust flavor. A smooth buttery mouthfeel. It has flavor notes of...
Every fall we collect a large number of seed pods from the tea plants to process them for spring. Starting new plants from seeds is the best way to develop new tea plants as they will develop a long tap root. Tea cuttings will create new plants, but they will not establish the long taproot. The longer the tap root the more drought tolerant the plant is and with every tea plant being an investment of time and product, it is important to develop the healthiest of plants. Tea plant seeds start out with a very tough outer shell. We will collect a large number of tea seeds and then set them out in the sun for a period of time...
For us at The Great Mississippi Tea Farm, delivering loose leaf tea versus a tea bag was a conscious choice. A choice that we made in support of quality, health and sustainability. We have been recognized by Bloomberg News as a "better" company for how to buy Eco-Friendly products in their June 2021 news article and it's all because we passed on the tea bag. Although a tea bag can be quite convenient, it comes with some downsides. Here are three reasons why we love loose leaf tea. Quality - Loose leaf tea is made of whole unbroken leaves. A tea bag often contains broken tea pieces and dust, losing some of the essential oils that bring tea its great flavor....
