Be Part of International Tea Day

around the world. Quality of tea translates to quality of life for tea farmers. The reverse is often true as well.

Many associate harvest season with late summer. In the world of tea, spring is the time of greatest abundance.

It is also this time of year when International Tea Day occurs, on May 21st. However, this day has little to do with bountiful harvests and vibrant green terraces.

While many believe International Tea Day is a day to simply celebrate tea - in truth this day originated to bring attention to a side of the tea industry which is rather undeserving of celebration.

In the early 2000’s, tea farmers and workers in countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Kenya, and Tanzania began organizing and calling for global actions to end injustice and inequitable impacts of the tea industry.

Reflecting on the ripple effects of a cup of tea is something that we do every day at Westholme. Prioritizing the wellbeing of tea farmers is something we bring great care to in our search for teas from

Each May, as International Tea Day approaches, our small garden of 800 tea plants (Camellia sinensis) on the slopes at Westholme begins to glow green with fresh tea leaves. As our Team spends increasingly more time in our tea garden, we are humbled. Standing among the rows of bushes, it becomes clear how the tea we choose to pour in our cup matters.

Our connection to other tea farmers becomes even more apparent at this time of year as we receive fresh spring harvests from all around the world. Our Team gets to taste teas harvested by hands on the other side of the world, alongside the teas harvested by our own hands here.

At Westholme, we are not just growing tea. We are growing a deeply rooted appreciation for all that goes into a cup of tea.

International Tea Day also marks the beginning of our events season here at Westholme. We invite you to enjoy a cup of fresh tea on the day wherever you are, in honour of tea farmers everywhere.